Dr. Mustafa Başkara, CEO of Ankara University National Center for the Sea and Maritime Law (DEHUKAM), was among the speakers at the international seminar titled “Creating the BBNJ Agreement: The Current Picture,” held in Athens, Greece, on 16 January 2026, in collaboration with the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the Athens International Law Center, (Athens PIL) and the World Maritime University (WMU).

During the seminar, Dr. Mustafa Başkara shared his thoughts on the current developments regarding the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) and the importance of this agreement in terms of sea and maritime law. Dr. Başkara made statements regarding the declarations submitted by Türkiye during the process of becoming party to the BBNJ Agreement, which Türkiye signed on 27 September 2024, during the 79th United Nations General Assembly and finally ratified with a Presidential Decree published in the Official Gazette dated 31 December 2025. The seminar, attended by academics and experts from different countries, contributed to the international discussion of current legal developments regarding the protection of biological diversity in maritime areas.