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States reaffirmed their support for the multilateral treaty framework during the 2026 Treaty Event
For over a quarter century, the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs has organized the annual Treaty Event, held over the course of four days during High-Level Week, and has provided States with the opportunity to join any of the more than 600 multilateral treaties deposited with the Secretary-General. This year, the Treaty Event took place from 22 to 25 September 2026 on the sidelines of the High-Level Week of the United Nations General Assembly鈥檚 Eighty-first session.
Under the theme, 鈥淧romoting multilateral treaties 鈥� safeguarding humanity鈥�, States undertook a total of thirty-six actions during the 2026 Treaty Event. One Head of State, one Head of Government, seventeen听ministers and three other high-ranking officials, representing twenty-two听States from across regions participated in this year鈥檚 Treaty Event.
A number of States signed the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime; Strengthening International Cooperation for Combating Certain Crimes Committed by Means of Information and Communications Technology Systems and for the Sharing of Evidence in Electronic Form of Serious Crimes (鈥淐onvention against Cybercrime鈥�), which is the first global framework designed to strengthen international cooperation against cybercrime and garnered 13 signatures during the Treaty Event. Ninety-five States have signed the Convention to date, which remains open for signature until 31 December 2026.
The other significant advancement was with 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 (鈥淏BNJ Agreement鈥�), which reached 101 ratifications during the Treaty Event, marking an important landmark in further strengthening the global framework for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.
鈥淎t this event, we have seen Member States reaffirming a commitment to international law as a way to face together present and future global challenges鈥� said Elinor Hammarskj枚ld, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel. 鈥淚 was encouraged by the milestone achieved in ratification of the BBNJ Agreement and we are ready to support States parties during the upcoming first Conference of Parties next year鈥�, she added.
The 2026 Treaty Event also featured actions by States in other areas including disarmament, human rights, the protection of the environment, and consular relations.
