MEXICO CITY, 23 March 2026 — Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) is bringing together legislators from more than 30 countries for its 46th Annual Forum and 4th Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians for the Oceans (CAP-Oceans) on 26 –27 March 2026 in Mexico City. The two-day gathering will convene members of parliament alongside experts, civil society organizations, and other key stakeholders from across the globe to advance a shared agenda centered on ocean governance and human rights, and to foster greater cooperation among both international and domestic legislative leaders.
A Global, Multi-Party Space for Ocean Action
The CAP-Oceans is a leading international gathering of legislators focused on protecting the world's oceans. This year's gathering will center on the effective implementation of marine protected areas (MPAs) as a tool for robust ocean governance in both national waters and in the high seas through the landmark UN High Seas Treaty.
Discussions will reinforce the protection of 30 percent of the ocean by 2030 (known as the 30x30 goal) as established in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and UN Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water. Participants will share regional experiences on MPA creation and co-management, including from the Americas and the Gulf of Guinea, and explore pathways for multilateral cooperation on the High Seas Treaty.
Parliamentarians for Global Action has been a consistent champion of the High Seas Treaty since its historic adoption in 2023. With the Treaty’s January 2026 entry into force, parliamentarians hold an even more indispensable role in its effective implementation — translating global commitments into domestic law, building the political will required for action, and ensuring that ocean governance reflects the rights and livelihoods of the communities who depend on the ocean.
PGA’s Annual Forum is designed as a genuinely multi-party space, bringing together legislators of diverse political perspectives. This inclusivity is vital to ensuring that effective ocean governance by building consensus across divides.
Honoring a Defender of Democracy
In conjunction with the Annual Forum, PGA will present its annual Defender of Democracy Award at a ceremony on Thursday, 26 March to Jonathan Mesulam of Papua New Guinea. Mesulam is founder and coordinator of the West Coast Development Foundation, a local Papua New Guinea NGO working with communities addressing issues relating to climate change and conservation of their local environments.
A teacher by profession, Mesulam became an environmental advocate after witnessing his community being exploited by extractive industries operating in Papua New Guinea, particularly the Solwara 1 project which aimed to mine mineral-rich hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor of the Bismarck Sea. Together with the Alliance of Solwara Warriors, he launched a legal challenge in Papua New Guinea’s courts against the project and built a solidarity network that reaches across the Pacific.
The Defender of Democracy Award recognizes individuals who demonstrate extraordinary courage and commitment in defending democratic values, human rights, and the rule of law. Mesulam’s recognition is especially resonant at a gathering focused on ocean governance. His work is a powerful reminder of why the protection of the high seas and coastal ecosystems is, at its core, a matter of human rights and community survival.
Championing International Cooperation in a Challenging Moment
The Annual Forum and CAP-Oceans gathering brings together legislators from Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Asia — all committed to the principle that shared challenges require shared solutions. It convenes in parallel with the third and final Preparatory Commission for the development of the UN High Seas Treaty (PreCom3) gathering at the UN Headquarters in New York where countries are working to establish clear recommendations for the Treaty’s entry into force in advance of the Treaty’s first Conference of the Parties (COP1).
The Annual Forum, CAP-Oceans, and PrepCom3 convenings taken together represent a timely opportunity for action through exactly the kind of multilateral, multi-party dialogue the moment demands, underscoring the connection between ocean protection, international cooperation, and the important role that legislators play in delivering decisive these actions for a more sustainable future.
