The U.N.-brokered treaty is close to becoming law, with 52 countries signed on and eight more needed to make it official.
Delegates are meeting at the United Nations in New York to finalize the details of a new treaty that aims to protect the oceans.
The second round of these talks, called the Preparatory Commission, reached the midway point on Friday, and is taking a major step toward making the treaty a reality.
Leaders argue any successful treaty must be built on partnership with and respect for Indigenous communities.
The U.N.-hosted talks failed to overcome opposition to reducing plastic production among oil and gas producers.
The latest draft text omitted any legally-binding production limits and a dedicated section on chemicals of concern.
Many nations rejected a draft that avoids setting quantitative caps on production, relying on a less stringent approach.
International IDEA highlights even established democracies are tested by shifting politics and weaker institutions.
The global health fund faces a $1.4 billion funding shortfall that risks undermining decades of progress fighting diseases.
The agreement, a technical document signed in Cairo a day earlier, was initially presented as a crucial breakthrough.
The NATO chief affirmed Allied nations 'expressed solidarity with Poland and denounced Russia's reckless behavior.'
