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: