ISA Assembly endorses proposal to take procedural decisions during its 26th Session through a silence procedure

The members of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) have endorsed a proposal by the President of the 25^th Session of the Assembly to take decisions of a procedural nature during the 26^th Session of the Assembly, including its opening, through a silence procedure similar to the process adopted by the 30^th Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

This proposal was communicated in the letter dated 17 September 2020 and sent to all Members of the Authority by Note Verbale ISA/EOGS/2020/131.

The process for taking decisions will consist of the following steps:

1. Until the start of the face-to-face meetings, the Assembly will take decisions of a procedural nature through a silence procedure, similar to what was adopted by the 30^th Meeting of States Parties to UNCLOS. These decisions will relate to the election of the President and Vice-Presidents of the 26^th Session, the appointment of the members of the Credentials Committee, the adoption of the agenda and the organization of work.
2. On 28 September 2020, the Secretariat will circulate a communication to inform ISA Members that the 26^th Session of the Assembly will be opened on 5 October 2020, and convey relevant details concerning the submission of credentials.
3. On 5 October 2020, the President of the Assembly will circulate a letter to declare open the 26^th Session and table a draft decision that will enable the Assembly to adopt decisions by silence procedure, along with a proposal that the draft decision be deemed adopted if no objections are received by 17:00 (Jamaica time) on 8 October 2020.
4. On 12 October 2020, if the draft decision is adopted, the President of the Assembly will circulate a letter to inform Member States of the nomination of a candidate for the position of President of the 26^th Session of the Assembly, and propose that the nominated candidate be deemed elected as President, if no objection is received by 17:00 (Jamaica time) on 15 October 2020.
5. Once elected, the President of the 26^th Session of the Assembly will circulate communications addressing the election of the Vice-Presidents, the appointment of the Credentials Committee, and the adoption of the agenda, as well as the organization of work.

ISA Members and Observers are encouraged to regularly check the website at: https://www.isa.org.jm/node/19747 for follow-up on the implementation of the decision-making process.

The agenda of the Assembly of ISA for the 26^th Session is contained in the document ISBA/26/A/L.1

For further information on the 26^th Session of the Assembly, including its documents, please visit:  http://bit.ly/Assembly_26th

For enquiries, please contact: The Office of Legal Affairs: ola@isa.org.jm

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