On 1 August 2023, the General Assembly adopted , in which it approved the assumption by the Secretary-General of the 51³Ô¹Ï of the functions assigned to him under the Agreement under the 51³Ô¹Ï Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), including the depositary functions and the performance, through the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Office of Legal Affairs of the 51³Ô¹Ï (DOALOS), of secretariat functions until such time as the secretariat to be established under the Agreement commences its functions.
In line with General Assembly resolution 77/321, DOALOS has developed a programme of activities to promote a better understanding of the Agreement and prepare for its entry into force. The planned activities include, among others, regional workshops, technical assistance at the national level, briefings and side events, and the development of tools and outreach materials. In delivering these activities, DOALOS welcomes opportunities of cooperation with States, relevant legal instruments and frameworks and relevant global, regional, subregional and sectoral bodies, as well as other stakeholders. DOALOS will also aim to strengthen inter-agency coordination and cooperation within the UN system in activities supporting the entry into force and implementation of the BBNJ Agreement, including through its role as the focal point of UN-Oceans. On 16 January 2024, the Principals of organizations participating in UN-Oceans endorsed a statement of commitments to strengthen and promote coordination and coherence of UN system activities in relation to the Agreement.