The Secretariat

The Secretariat is one of the three principal organs of ISA and is located in Jamaica. The Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General who is the chief administrative officer of ISA.

The main functions of the Secretariat include:

  • Providing support to the Secretary-General in fulfilling the functions entrusted to him or her under UNCLOS and the 1994 Agreement and in implementing the mandates provided by member States;
  • Producing reports and other documents containing information, analyses, historical background, research findings, policy suggestions, etc., that facilitate the deliberations and decision-making by the other principal organs and their subsidiary bodies; 
  • Providing secretariat services to the other principal organs and their subsidiary bodies and providing meeting services (translation, interpretation, and reporting services) to the other principal organs, in accordance with the policies adopted by the Assembly; 
  • Producing publications, information bulletins and analytical studies and disseminating information on the activities and decisions of ISA;
  • Organizing and servicing expert group meetings, seminars and workshops;
  • Implementing the work programmes and policies laid down by the other principal organs and their subsidiary bodies; 
  • Ensuring compliance with plans of work for exploration and exploitation approved in the form of contracts; 
  • Performing the functions of the Enterprise as specified in Section 2 of the Annex to the 1994 Agreement until such time as the Enterprise begins to operate independently.

The Secretariat consists of the following major organizational units:

The Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG) assists the Secretary-General in supervising and coordinating the work of the Secretariat, pursuant to his or her executive direction and the relevant directives of the Council and the Assembly.

The Executive Office is also responsible for protocol and liaison services and for providing communications and press support to the Secretary-General.

Composition
Name Position Nationality
Michael W. Lodge Secretary-General United Kingdom
Marie Bourrel-McKinnon Senior Policy Officer & Special Assistant to the Secretary-General France
Oystein Bruncell Larsen Senior Programme Management Officer Norway
Stefanie Neno Communications Specialist France
Chapi Mwango Contract Administration Officer Canada
Sonakshi Mishra Programme Management Officer India
Annekah Mason Training Coordinator Jamaica
Besmir Fidahic Associate Copy Editor Bosnia and Herzegovina
Christine Griffiths Office Manager Jamaica
Shanique Gregory Senior Communications Assistant Jamaica
Asenaca Navoti Senior Liaison Assistant, Office of the Permanent
Observer for ISA to the United Nations, New York		 Fiji
Nicole Powell Administrative Assistant Jamaica
Ryan Barbar Staff Assistant Jamaica
Shanica James Brown Administrative Assistant Jamaica

 

The  Office for Administrative Services (OAS) provides general administrative and management support to the Secretariat. Its functions include financial management and control, preparation of proposed budgets, assessment of contributions of member States, recruitment of staff and contractors, procurement of goods and services, personnel management and security.

Staff
Name Position Nationality
Ghislain Maertens Director Belgium
Joseph Khoreich Budget and Oversight Officer Lebanon
Pablo Vidal Human Resources Officer Chile
Ye Tun IT Manager Myanmar
Aristakes Zurabian Finance Officer Russia
Marcelle Lefebvre Associate Human Resources Officer Canada
Esam Alnour Webmaster/Associate CITS Officer Sudan
Lilian Valles Carrillo Associate Procurement Officer Jamaica
Sonja Phinn Associate Security and Facilities Officer Jamaica
Fitzroy Ferguson Senior Finance Assistant Jamaica
Sheldon Gruber Senior Budget & Treasury Assistant Jamaica
Ksenija Thompson Finance Assistant Croatia
Bobett Russell Administrative Assistant Jamaica
Michell McGhie Budget Assistant Jamaica
Andre Brooks Information Technology Assistant Jamaica
Sashi Walters-Brooks  Procurement Assistant Jamaica
Errol Evans Driver Jamaica
Leroy Smith Driver Jamaica

The Office of Legal Affairs is the central legal service of the Secretariat and provides legal advice to the Secretary-General, the Secretariat and the other principal organs of ISA and their subsidiary bodies. It represents the Secretary-General in legal conferences and in judicial proceedings.

The Office of Legal Affairs is also responsible for the Satya N. Nandan Library, the official documentation of ISA and for managing the provision of conference services for sessions of ISA.

The Contract Management Unit is the central administrative point of contact between contractors, sponsoring States and the Secretariat. The Unit processes applications for approval of plans of work for exploration or exploitation, as well as applications for extensions of such contracts. It maintains a definitive central registry of contracts, in accordance with best international practice, and ensures the safe custody and confidentiality of all documents, data and information submitted in connection with such contracts and applications for approval of plans of work.

Staff
Name Position Nationality
Alfonso  Ascencio-Herrera  Legal Counsel & Deputy to the Secretary-General  Mexico
Yongsheng Cai Senior Legal Officer China
Gwénaëlle Le Gurun Legal Officer France
Talatu Akindolire Legal Officer Nigeria
Kayon Wray Documentation & Conference Management Officer Jamaica
Lue Antoine Clarke Administrative Assistant Jamaica
Patrena Salmon Administrative/Library Assistant Jamaica

The Office of Environmental Management and Mineral Resources (OEMMR) provides scientific and technical input into the development and implementation of the rules, regulations and procedures for the conduct of activities in the Area. OEMMR also coordinates the collection, analysis and dissemination of geological, biological, environmental and technological data and information on the Area and its resources, including through the development and maintenance of ISA’s global database.

OEMMR supports the development and implementation of regional environmental management plans, environmental impact assessment and environmental monitoring, and the development of environmental standards and guidelines. OEMMR also supports ISA’s work to promote and encourage the conduct of marine scientific research in the Area by developing collaborations with member States and international organizations, and disseminating the results of scientific research and analysis.

Staff
Name Position Nationality
Jihyun Lee Director Republic of Korea
Ulrich Schwarz-Schampera Programme Management Officer (Mining Geologist) Germany
Wanfei Qiu Programme Manager (Marine Environment) China
Sheldon Carter Database Manager Jamaica
Kioshi Mishiro GIS Officer Japan
Luciana De Melo Santos Genio Environmental Analyst Portugal
Changsung Lim Associate Programme Officer Republic of Korea
Ansel Cadien Senior Information Management Assistant Jamaica
Camelia Campbell Administrative Assistant Jamaica
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