Kingston, Jamaica (6 October 2026) – H.E. Mr. Manuel Adalberto Carlos Montenegro Lopes da Cruz presented his credentials as the new Permanent Representative of the Federative Republic of Brazil to the International Seabed Authority on Tuesday, 6 October 2026.
He was welcomed by Madam Secretary-General Leticia Carvalho at the ISA Headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica. Ambassador Lopes da Cruz holds more than three decades in diplomacy span science and technology policy, international security and multilateral affairs and had senior advisory roles at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and served for eight years as Ambassador to Azerbaijan.
Upon presenting his credentials, Ambassador Lopes da Cruz reaffirmed Brazil´s full commitment “to multilateralism and to international law, which underpin ocean governance, including for marine resources, through the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and its institutions.”
The new Permanent Representative also declared that Brazil considers it essential that the decisions that ISA Member States will take in the following years “remain firmly grounded in the Convention, in science, and in the principles of equity and international cooperation.” His Excellency stressed that Member States must “ensure that the regime does not allow those benefits to accrue to a few while the risks and consequences of environmental harm are borne by all.” Ambassador Lopes da Cruz also stated that Brazil “will continue to contribute constructively to the work of the Authority and to the preservation of the vision that inspired its creation: an international seabed governed by law, cooperation, solidarity and a shared responsibility towards humankind.”
As a Brazilian oceanographer, Madam Secretary-General Leticia Carvalho took the opportunity to express her pride in Brazil´s scientific, diplomatic and maritime traditions,” as well as the country´s “role in shaping how we govern and protect the oceans together.”
Madam Secretary-General underscored that she is looking forward to continue this work together with the Permanent Representative Ambassador Lopes da Cruz, stressing that “Brazil’s scientific and maritime capabilities, its South Atlantic leadership, including through its ZOPACAS presidency, and its influential voice within the Global South will be valuable in the discussions ahead”, allowing ISA and Brazil to deepen their partnership.
About ISA
The International Seabed Authority is an autonomous intergovernmental organization established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to organize, regulate and control activities in the seabed beyond national jurisdiction for the benefit of humankind as a whole. ISA is committed to ensuring that all activities in the deep seabed are carried out responsibly, using the best available scientific evidence and in accordance with the principle of the common heritage of humankind.
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