African Group

On Friday, the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) finalized a draft on compliance and continued consideration of the draft regulations on the exploitation of deep seabed minerals in an informal format, with specific regard to the roles of the Council, the Secretary-General, and the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC). The Council then considered a draft President statement with a view to identifying any serious concerns or gaps. Discussions focused on: the need to expand upon the protection of the marine environment and the common heritage of humankind in the draft exploitation regulations; a reference to “ensuring commercially viable” regulatory provisions in the guidance provided to the LTC; and a balanced allocation of powers among the ISA organs. ISA Secretary-General Michael Lodge thanked delegates for their constructive and well-considered contributions, and congratulated them for realizing the objective of the informal format to enable the Council to “work hand in hand” with LTC in developing the draft regulations with a view to eventually ensuring their broad acceptability and expeditious adoption. President Myklebust reflected that the Council “achieved a lot,” leaving a massive amount of work for the LTC, that will certainly “know how to do the job.” He gaveled the meeting to a close at 12:41pm. ENB SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS: For more details, read the Earth Negotiations Bulletin summary and analysis of the first part of the 24th Annual Session of the International Seabed Authority.  The PDF version is available here. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from the 1st Part of the 24th Session of the International Seabed Authority. The summary and analysis is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Olav Myklebust, Norway, Council President for the 24th Session Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General Gwénaëlle Le Gurun, ISA Secretariat Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, ISA Legal Counsel and Deputy to the Secretary-General L-R: Tommo Monthe, Cameroon; Thembile Joyini, South Africa; and Cécile Mballa Eyenga, Cameroon Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog, Brazil Cécile Mballa Eyenga, Cameroon Kathy Ann Brown, Jamaica Gavin Watson, UK Duncan Currie, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition Ahmed Farouk, Egypt Rose Kautoke, Tonga Juan Manuel Galindo Roldán, Argentina , Argentina Urs Daniel Engels, Germany Wini Broadbelt, the Netherlands Eduardo Bonilla, Chile Didier Ortolland, France Gaia Puleston, Australia Conn Nugent, The Pew Charitable Trusts Olav Myklebust, Norway, Council President for the 24th Session, gaveled the meeting to a close at 12:41pm L-R: Cintia Nunes; Marie Bourrel-Mckinnon; Anna Elaise; and Yongsheng Cai, ISA Secretariat L-R: Lorenzo Lynch; Geraldine Geddes; Jason Dixon; and Ena Harvey, ISA Secretariat Delegates from Japan and China in conversation L-R: Tevita Suka Mangisi, Tonga, and Rose Kautoke, Tonga L-R: Rena Lee; Karen Tan; Ariel Marie Quek; and Lara Kamal, Singapore L-R: John Kurian; Ananda Ramadass; and Vijay Kumar, India

On Thursday, the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) discussed a draft text on compliance for insertion in the Council President’s statement on the work of this meeting. Delegates debated: what constitutes non-compliance by contractors; reporting obligations by sponsoring states; and reporting by the Secretary-General to the Council. Informal consultations were held in the evening. In addition, the Council continued consideration of the draft regulations on the exploitation of deep-seabed minerals in an informal format, focusing on environmental provisions. Discussions focused on: precaution; discharges from mining activities; environmental impact assessments and environmental monitoring; and the role of regional environmental management plans in the draft regulations. For more about the day’s events, read the Earth Negotiations Bulletin daily report. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from the 1st Part of the 24th Session of the International Seabed Authority. The summary and analysis is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General Olav Myklebust, Norway, Council President for the 24th Session ISA participants from civil society and observer organizations Wini Broadbelt, the Netherlands Gaia Puleston, Australia Philomène Verlaan, Sargasso Sea Commission Kathy Ann Brown, Jamaica Karen Tan, Singapore Rose Kautoke, Tonga Ariel Fernández, Argentina Zentaro Naganuma, Japan Alexis Eduardo Sandoval Cajar, Panama Li Lin Lin, China Arne Küper, Germany Daniele Bosio, Italy Tommo Monthe, Cameroon Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog, Brazil Sellé Mbengue, Senegal Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway Vijay Kumar, India Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Ernesto Malda, Mexico Delegates from Belgium Delegates from China in consultations L-R: Laura Gavinelli and Daniele Bosio, Italy L-R: Kenneth Wong, Canada, in a conversation with Arne Küper, Germany Jamaica Conference Centre grounds

On Tuesday, the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) began consideration of draft regulations on exploitation of deep seabed minerals, in an informal format with a view to facilitating a frank discussion and conveying the outcome as a Council President’s summary to the ISA Legal and Technical Commission. Delegations exchanged general views on the draft regulations and on a briefing note on stakeholders’ submissions on the regulations, with a focus on: the pathway from exploration to exploitation and beyond, and on the payment mechanism. Discussions focused on: the process to discuss and further develop the draft regulations; the relevance of the regulations for sustainable development and environmental protection; what, how, when and whom the Authority will regulate; and an independent financial model. For more about the day’s events, read the Earth Negotiations Bulletin daily report. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from the 1st Part of the 24th Session of the International Seabed Authority. The summary and analysis is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page L-R: Chris Brown, ISA Secretariat; Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, ISA Legal Counsel and Deputy to the Secretary-General; Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General; Olav Myklebust, Norway, Council President for the 24th Session; and Gwénaëlle Le Gurun, ISA Secretariat Olav Myklebust, Norway, Council President for the 24th Session Chris Brown, Legal Officer, ISA Secretariat Jean-Michel Despax, France Zentaro Naganuma, Japan Tevita Suka Mangisi, Tonga Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Gaia Puleston, Australia Mohamed Atlassi, Morocco Tommo Monthe, Cameroon Vijay Kumar, India Tomasz Abramowski, Interoceanmetal Joint Organization (IOM) Karen Tan, Singapore Kristina Gjerde, IUCN Ernesto Malda, Mexico Daniele Bosio, Italy L-R: South African delegates Thembile Joyini and Philip Riley Richard Roth, MIT Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog, Brazil Qinghu Feng, China Kathy Ann Brown, Jamaica Kent Bressie, International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) L-R: Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog, Brazil; Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, ISA Legal Counsel and Deputy to the Secretary-General; and Rodrigo de Oliveira Castro, Brazil Fish carvings around the ISA

On Monday, the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) opened for the first part of the 24th annual session in Kingston, Jamaica. Following a flag ceremony performed by the Caribbean Maritime University, the Council addressed organizational matters and heard reports on the status of exploration contracts, the implementation of the 2017 Council decision relating to the summary report of the Legal and Technical Commission Chair and a preliminary strategy for the development of regional environmental management plans for the Area. The Council also considered information related to contractors' compliance with the plans of work for exploration, and a proposed memorandum of understanding between the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization and the ISA. The discussion focused on: regional environmental management plans; and compliance issues, such as penalties and confidentiality. For more about the day’s events, read the Earth Negotiations Bulletin daily report. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from the 1st Part of the 24th Session of the International Seabed Authority. The summary and analysis is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page L-R: Olav Myklebust, Norway, Council President for the 24th Session, welcomed by Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General Olav Myklebust, Norway, Council President for the 24th Session Ariel Fernández, Argentina, Council President for the 23rd Session Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, ISA Legal Counsel and Deputy to the Secretary-General Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General L-R: Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, ISA Legal Counsel and Deputy to the Secretary-General; Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General; Olav Myklebust, Norway, Council President for the 24th Session; and Gwénaëlle Le Gurun, ISA Secretariat Karen Tan, Singapore Kathy Ann Brown, Jamaica Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Gaia Puleston, Australia Kenneth Wong, Canada Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway Didier Ortolland, France Eduardo Bonilla, Chile Vladimir Vinokurov, Russian Federation Wini Broadbelt, the Netherlands Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog, Brazil Li Lin Lin, China Tommo Monthe, Cameroon Conn Nugent, The Pew Charitable Trusts Duncan Currie, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition View of the ISA Council session Delegates from China consulting Cadets from the Caribbean Maritime University, Kingston, Jamaica