The Assembly of the International Seabed Authority yesterday elected Bangladesh (Asian Group), Uganda (African Group), Czech Republic (Eastern European Group) and Trinidad and Tobago (Group of Latin American and Caribbean States) as its Vice-Presidents for 2010.

Syamal Kanti Das of India was yesterday elected President of Council of the International Seabed Authority for 2010. 

KINGSTON, JAMAICA – The International Seabed Authority today announced a contribution of US$20,000 to the ISA Voluntary Trust Fund.

KINGSTON, JAMAICA – In his first address to the General Assembly since being elected ISA Secretary-General, Mr. Nii Allotey Odunton spoke about matters relating to Oceans and the Law of the Sea . He said he felt extremely privileged to have been invested with the responsibility for guiding the work of the Authority over the next four years.

In a bid to further strengthen the existing cooperation  with the International Seabed Authority, China has granted funding to support five candidates to pursue Masters or Doctorate degrees in Marine Science at the Tongji University.

The workshop on the finalization of the Geological Model of the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone is scheduled for 14-17 December at the Authority’s headquarters in Kingston.

Experts attending the final review meeting of the geological model have agreed on a schedule of corrections/modifications to the model and the Prospector’s Guide to be completed by the end of October 2009.

Scientific experts began a 3-day final review meeting at ISA Headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica from 7-9 September to review the Geological Model of polymetallic nodule deposit formation in the Clarion Clipperton Region. 

The ISA Endowment Fund has awarded Ms Alejandra Mariana Rocha of Argentina, Mr Olubunmi Nubi of Nigeria and Mr Niroshana Wickramaarachchi of Sri Lanka, fellowships under its Technical Assistance Program-Marine Scientific Research (TAP-MAR) to participate in a course being offered by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) in Goa, India.