Kingston, Jamaica, 5 December 2025 — The Secretariat of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) hosted two virtual certificate presentation ceremonies on 4 and 5 December 2025, recognizing 69 trainees from developing States who successfully completed training under the ISA Contractors’ Training Programmes (CTP).
The two ceremonies marked the culmination of a year of intensive capacity-building efforts delivered by ISA contractors in fulfillment of their training obligations pursuant to their contracts for explorations. Training opportunities spanned at-sea expeditions, fellowships, on-board practical placements, engineering and geological training, online courses through ISA’s Deep Dive platform, and undergraduate scholarships, reinforcing ISA’s mandate under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to promote equitable access to deep-sea science and technology.
Since the introduction of the streamlined certification process in 2022, ISA has now awarded certificates to 237 trainees from more than 45 developing States, including significant representation from least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), and small island developing States (SIDS). Women account for more than one-third of all certificate recipients to date.
In her opening remarks, Madam Secretary-General of the ISA, Ms. Leticia Carvalho, underscored the strategic importance of the CTP in advancing inclusive ocean governance, stating that “the CTP remains one of the clearest expressions of the common heritage of humankind in action, as it transforms legal obligations into real, meaningful opportunities that strengthen national capacities, advance scientific understanding and contribute directly to an inclusive global knowledge base.” She continued to note that “these certificates represent individual achievement as well as a collective investment in scientific excellence and equitable participation, including the strong representation of LDCs, SIDS and women scientists, demonstrating what well-designed and targeted capacity-development programmes can achieve.”
The participating contractors, in their congratulatory remarks, commended the trainees for the dedication and enthusiasm shown throughout the training process. They encouraged the recipients to continue building on the skills and knowledge gained during the training to bolster their professional development at the institution or national level while laying a foundation for them to further contribute to the work of the Authority and ocean governance in general. Contractors also reiterated their commitment to advancing women’s participation in deep sea research through partnerships such as Women in Deep Sea Research (WIDSR).
This year’s 69 certificate recipients represented a diverse group of professionals from three of the ISA’s regional groupings, namely, the African and Asia and Pacific groups as well as the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States (GRULAC). It includes nationals from Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Benin, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Liberia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Togo, Uganda and United Republic of Tanzania.
The ceremonies brought together the following 14 ISA contractors who had completed training programmes in 2024 and 2025, highlighting their collective commitment to capacity development in accordance with UNCLOS and the Authority’s Capacity Development Strategy:
• Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation
• Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, Germany
• Institut français de recherche pour l’exploitation de la mer, France
• Blue Minerals Jamaica Ltd.
• Beijing Pioneer Hi-Tech Development Corporation
• Cook Islands Investment Corporation
• China Minmetals Corporation
• China Ocean Mineral Resources Research and Development Association
• Nauru Ocean Resources Inc.
• Marawa Research and Exploration Ltd.
• Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security
• Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Government of the Republic of Korea
• Ministry of Earth Science of the Government of India
• Global Sea Mineral Resources NV
In closing the proceedings, Madam Secretary-General reiterated ISA’s commitment to further strengthening CTP in close cooperation with the contractors to ensure that capacity development remains a central pillar of ISA’s work and long-term strategic priorities.
About ISA
ISA is an autonomous intergovernmental organization mandated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 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.
For media inquiries, please contact:
ISA Communications Unit, news@isa.org.jm
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