Cameroonian Member of Parliament and Executive Committee Bureau Member of Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA), Hon. Oliver Bamenju Agho, has once again projected Cameroon onto the global stage with a passionate commitment to marine protection, as he delivered the PGA's official statement at the closing session of the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France.
Hon. Agho Oliver, head of the PGA Delegation to this year's high level summit, addressed hundreds of international delegates in a statement that emphasised the vital role of lawmakers in advancing environmental democracy and the urgent need to ratify and implement the High Seas Treaty. The treaty, formally adopted by the UN in 2023, aims to protect biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions and establish marine protected areas in the high seas being part of the global goal to protect 30 percent of the world’s oceans by 2030.
"Parliamentarians play a critical role in addressing environmental protection from a human rights-based approach... PGA reinforces these principles by securing the right to access information, participation, and justice in environmental matters in the ocean for their communities." Hon. Agho Oliver declared.
The Parliamentarians for Global Action is a non-partisan network of over 1,100 legislators from 150 countries, working to advance human rights, democracy, gender equality, rule of law, and justice. At the core of their work in ocean governance, PGA promotes legislative frameworks that support international cooperation and environmental justice.
In his remarks, Hon. Agho outlined PGA's commitments to building momentum for the ratification of the High Seas Treaty through the upcoming 4th Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians for the Oceans, providing technical support to member-parliamentarians for effective treaty ratification and implementation and facilitating inclusive interactions between legislators, governments, civil society, and local communities to build trust and promote local ownership of marine protection initiatives.
The young MP’s representation of both Cameroon and PGA drew praise from various quarters. Notably, Cameroon’s Minister of Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development, H.E. Hele Pierre, was seen congratulating Hon. Agho Oliver shortly after his address, commending him for his "environmental diplomacy" and strategic marketing of Cameroon as a proactive voice in global conservation efforts.
The presentation by Hon Agho Oliver during the plenary now takes the number of Cameroonians who shone the spot at the conference to two including H.E Philemon Yang who spoke at the opening plenary
The 2025 UN Ocean Conference, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica under the theme “Accelerating action and mobilising all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean,” brought together key stakeholders including governments, NGOs, civil society groups, scientists, and private sector leaders. The aim was to accelerate progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 14 and support urgent action to protect marine ecosystems under increasing threat from pollution, overfishing, and climate change.
PGA’s engagement, as highlighted by Hon. Agho Oliver's statement, underscored the importance of legislative action at national and international levels to ensure that policy translates into practice.
“As parliamentarians, we are uniquely positioned to bridge local realities and global commitments. The future of our oceans depends on our collective political will and that future begins now.” he concluded
As the conference winds down, Hon. Agho’s participation has sparked optimism about Cameroon’s potential leadership role in shaping African and global marine conservation policy. With momentum building, the spotlight now turns to national parliaments around the world to turn words into law and commit to saving the oceans before it is too late.
By Bakah Derick with reports from Nice, France
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