MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile's Kast government reaffirms Valparaíso's bid to host the High Seas Treaty secretariat

Known as the “Pearl of the Pacific,” Valparaíso lies 110 kilometers northwest of Santiago and was the most important commercial port in the South Pacific during the 19th century

Chile's government on Monday reaffirmed its commitment to Valparaíso's candidacy to host the Executive Secretariat of the High Seas Treaty, a key instrument of ocean governance, and held that the port city has “relevant strengths” to secure it. The Foreign Ministry said the bid responds to the importance that Chilean foreign policy places on protecting the ocean and to the country's “maritime vocation.”

“For us this is a state policy. For the government of Chile it is of high interest to achieve this recognition, and we will carry out all the efforts to obtain the necessary support,” said Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna. Valparaíso is competing with Belgium and China for the seat. The campaign will run until December, and the decision will be taken by the First Conference of the Parties (COP1), in January 2027.

The candidacy had been launched by the government of left-wing leader Gabriel Boric, which presented it to the United Nations in November 2025, and is now ratified by the current administration, making it a sustained state policy despite the change in political orientation. The bid also has the backing of senators from various sectors and of Valparaíso's regional governor.

The Agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ), ratified by more than 80 countries and in force since January, establishes for the first time a legal framework to safeguard biodiversity in international waters, which cover almost half of the planet's surface. The treaty allows the delimitation of marine protected areas on the high seas, sets obligations for the sustainable use of ocean resources, prioritizes capacity-building and access to technology, and creates mechanisms for an equitable distribution of benefits. Chile, the second country in the world and the first in the region to ratify it, has —according to the Foreign Ministry— a top-level ocean-science ecosystem and more than 70 years of experience hosting international organizations. Establishing the Secretariat in Valparaíso would make it the first UN body of universal membership in Latin America.

Known as the “Pearl of the Pacific,” Valparaíso lies 110 kilometers northwest of Santiago and was the most important commercial port in the South Pacific during the 19th century. Its strategic location made it a mandatory stop for ships crossing from the Atlantic through the Strait of Magellan, turning the city into an economic, financial and cultural hub of the country.