On 3 March 2021, the Assembly of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), has formally adopted a decision relating to the election of members to the Council of ISA for the period 2021-2024 in accordance with article 161, paragraph 3, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
In accordance with previous decisions of the Assembly, the terms of office of the 19 members of the Council ended on 31 December 2020. The election to fill the vacancies was held through a silence procedure during the 26th session of the Assembly, which was carried over to 2021 due to the pandemic of COVID-19.
As per the decision of the ISA Assembly, the following States have been elected to the Council for a period of four years as from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2024: China and Japan in Group A; India in Group B; Canada and South Africa in Group C; Bangladesh, Brazil and Uganda for Group D; Argentina, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Mauritius, Morocco, the Netherlands (subject to rotation arrangement with Belgium and Norway), Poland, Sierra Leone (subject to rotation arrangement with Algeria), Spain (subject to rotation arrangement with Norway), Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Kingdom (subject to rotation arrangement with Norway) in Group E.
“I am very pleased to see the diversity of representation on the Council and particularly pleased that in these difficult times member States were able to achieve an election by consensus”, said ISA Secretary-General Mr. Michael W. Lodge.
The Council consists of 36 members of ISA elected by the Assembly in five different regional groups of countries. As “the executive organ of ISA”, the Council establishes specific policies in conformity with the Convention and the general policies set by the Assembly. It supervises and coordinates implementation of the regime established by the Convention to promote and regulate exploration for and exploitation of deep-sea minerals by States, corporations and other entities. Under this system, no such activity may legally take place until contracts have been signed between each interested entity and ISA. The Council’s task is to adopt the rules, regulations and procedures of the Authority (pending approval by the Assembly), approve applications for exploration or exploitation contracts, oversee implementation of the contracts, and establish environmental and other standards.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Ms. Stefanie Neno, Communications Specialist, ISA, sneno@isa.org.jm
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