New York, USA, 25 March 2026 – Madam Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), Leticia Carvalho, delivered her remarks at the third session of the Preparatory Commission for the Entry into Force of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) and the convening of the First Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Agreement. The meetings took place from 23 March until 2 April 2026 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.
According to Ms. Leticia Carvalho, the BBNJ Agreement – which entered into force on 17 January 2026 – will “enable a more holistic governance structure in marine areas beyond national jurisdiction” and marks a “milestone in strengthening a rules-based system in global ocean governance.”
Recognizing that multilateralism is under pressure, Madam Secretary-General of the Authority reinforced that the governance of these marine areas must be “anchored in law, cooperation and institutional coherence.”
Ms. Carvalho highlighted that while activities controlled by the Authority in the Area have implications across key areas for BBNJ, they also represent potential areas of synergies.
Madam Secretary-General emphasized the need to “strengthen coherence, avoid duplication and advance common objectives”, while exemplifying the Authority’s work on protection of the marine environment; the DeepData database and capacity-building.
Ms. Carvalho reaffirmed the Authority´s commitment to “working constructively with the institutions under the BBBJ Agreement and all partners” and reinforced that collaboration with the interim Secretariat DOALOS is in fully swing with a focus on capacity building, technology transfer and marine scientific research to optimize the success of both ISA and BBNJ.
During the mission, the ISA, through representation by the Secretary-General and Legal Counsel, observed the presentations and bids by China, Chile and Belgium to host the BBNJ Secretariat. Ms. Carvalho, stated that “it was great to bear witness to the excellent capability and commitment of these countries to host this exceptionally important new multilateral agreement.”
About ISA
The International Seabed Authority is an autonomous intergovernmental organization mandated by the UNCLOS to manage the mineral resources of the seabed beyond national jurisdiction for the shared benefit of humankind. ISA is committed to ensuring that all economic activities in the deep seabed, including mining, are regulated and responsibly managed using the best available scientific evidence for the benefit of all humankind.
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