On 16 November 2023, the Secretariat of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) held its second Deep DiplomaSea webinar of the year to raise awareness of its role, mandate and work among staff of permanent missions to ISA and the United Nations. The event was primarily attended by diplomats and senior United Nations agencies’ staff.
The Deep DiplomaSea webinar provided a comprehensive overview of ISA’s governance structure and decision-making processes. It also looked at the fundamental elements of ISA’s role and mandate, offering insights into how ISA effectively manages and regulates deep-sea mineral-related activities, ensures the effective protection of the marine environment, promotes and encourages marine scientific research and ensures the equitable sharing of benefits derived from activities in the Area. A key feature of the session was an in-depth discussion on the work carried out by ISA members on developing the Mining Code, highlighting the legal framework established for activities in the Area.
As the ISA transitions from exploration to exploitation phases in the Area, the webinar shed light on the evolving legal and regulatory environment. The participants gained a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities ahead of this transition phase.
A portion of the webinar was also dedicated to discussing the roles and responsibilities of sponsoring States and contractors. This segment emphasized the importance of responsible and sustainable management of deep-sea mineral resources, ensuring compliance with environmental standards and regulations. Emphasis was also placed on presenting the tools and processes used by ISA to collect data and information collected on an ongoing basis in the Area to inform relevant decision-making processes and share the information broadly, including through the ISA DeepData database.
“Today’s session is another testament of our dedication to transparency and collaboration. While this is not a negotiating platform, it is an invaluable opportunity for State Members and interested parties to gain insights into the technical and scientific aspects of our work,” said ISA Secretary-General H.E. Mr. Michael W. Lodge.
“I trust that the expertise shared by the experts of the Secretariat has enlightened all attendees, deepening their understanding of ISA’s current developments and ongoing projects and will foster their future engagement in our mandate,” he added.
About ISA
ISA is an autonomous international organization mandated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to protect the seabed for the shared benefit of humankind. ISA is committed to the principle that all nations of the world should benefit from responsible, sustainable and regulated economic activities in the deep seabed and from the potential resources the deep seabed holds for a global green transition. The ISA works to ensure that the voices of all states and stakeholders, including developing states, civil society organizations and all ISA Member States, are effectively heard in discussions around the sustainable development of the deep seabed.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Ms. Jaimie Abbott, Communications Specialist, ISA, jabbott@isa.org.jm
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