Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (8-9 April 2026) – At the beginning of April, following a very busy last few weeks hosting Part I of the 31st Council Session, I travelled to Rio de Janeiro to represent the International Seabed Authority (ISA) at the Ninth Ministerial Meeting of the Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic, known as ZOPACAS. As a Brazilian, there was something especially meaningful about participating in a gathering dedicated to the future of the South Atlantic and its respective 24 States from across Africa and Latin America. The South Atlantic is of strategic importance geopolitically, serving as a critical shipping alternative to the Red Sea and a major trade artery between the Americas, Europe and Asia. It is also a space in which developing coastal States have a strong stake in the evolution of multilateral ocean governance.
Small Island Developing States and the Future of Seabed Governance
Kingston, Jamaica – 24 April 2026 – Every year on 25 April, the international community marks the International Day for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The date commemorates the opening of the 1994 Barbados Global Conference, the first major United Nations conference dedicated to implementing Agenda 21, the sustainable development of SIDS. In the last 30 years, SIDS have moved from the margins to centrality in relation to international ocean governance. As stewards of nearly a third of the world’s ocean, their voice in decisions about how the deep sea is managed and who benefits from its resources must be fully integrated and visible. The Day highlights the unique environmental, social and economic challenges faced by these States while recognizing their leadership in ocean stewardship and climate action.
Discovering Life in the Hadal Depths: How Taxonomy Illuminates the Deep Seabed
Kingston, Jamaica – 26 March 2026 – The deep seabed is teeming with life. From the sediment plains of the abyssal zone to the extreme pressures of hadal trenches, species have evolved over millions of years into forms of extraordinary complexity and resilience. Scientists and governments alike are actively investing in understanding the biodiversity of the deep seabed. That growing body of knowledge equips decision makers to act responsibly and ensure global stewardship of the deep seabed.
Madam Secretary-General’s Reflections from Her Mission to Belgium, February 2026
Kingston, Jamaica, 31 March, 2026 – Following my trip to the United Kingdom and Switzerland, I traveled to Brussels, Belgium where I had the opportunity to meet a number of stakeholders to increase understanding of the work and role of the ISA and hear from them regarding concerns and opportunities.
The Council of the International Seabed Authority advanced negotiations on the Mining Code
Kingston, Jamaica, 19 March 2026 — The Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) has concluded Part I of its 31st Session, held in Kingston, Jamaica, following nine days of intensive negotiations on key elements of the Draft Regulations governing the exploitation of mineral resources in the international seabed Area.
At the United Nations Headquarters, Madam Secretary-General Leticia Carvalho highlights synergies between the ISA and the BBNJ Agreement
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.
Madam Secretary-General’s Reflections from Her Recent Mission to the United Kingdom and Switzerland at the Start of 2026
Kingston, Jamaica – 27 March 2026 – As I enter year two of my tenure as ISA Secretary-General, I feel that 2026 is off to a promising start, combining focused ambition, a spirit of collaboration, and principled pragmatism. These principles are guiding my engagement with Member States and how I am organizing the work of the Secretariat. This aim is part of a broader effort to explain why we consider the framework ready for consolidation to ensure that the ISA can deliver its unique role as guardian and steward of the deep seabed. The focus is on coalescing progress towards completion of the legal framework to make the system operational and coherent, delivering for multilateralism and the promise of the common heritage of humankind. Just having closed Part One of the 31st Session, I firmly believe that we saw these principles playing out in the negotiations and I am very pleased with the progress made. Please read my Council closing remarks here.
Madam Secretary-General’s Reflections from Her Recent Mission to the United Kingdom and Switzerland at the Start of 2026
Kingston, Jamaica – 27 March 2026 – As I enter year two of my tenure as ISA Secretary-General, I feel that 2026 is off to a promising start, combining focused ambition, a spirit of collaboration, and principled pragmatism. These principles are guiding my engagement with Member States and how I am organizing the work of the Secretariat. This aim is part of a broader effort to explain why we consider the framework ready for consolidation to ensure that the ISA can deliver its unique role as guardian and steward of the deep seabed. The focus is on coalescing progress towards completion of the legal framework to make the system operational and coherent, delivering for multilateralism and the promise of the common heritage of humankind. Just having closed Part One of the 31st Session, I firmly believe that we saw these principles playing out in the negotiations and I am very pleased with the progress made. Please read my Council closing remarks here.
The Permanent Representative of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas presents Credentials to the Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority
Kingston, 16 March 2026 — Her Excellency Mrs. Alveta Adderley-Knight presented her credentials to the Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), Ms. Leticia Carvalho, as Permanent Representative of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to the International Seabed Authority, during a ceremony held on 16 March 2026 at ISA Headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica.
