JAMAICA, Kingston (27 July 2015) – – The Assembly of the International Seabed Authority at its final meeting of the 21st Session in Kingston, on Friday 24 July, approved the recommendations of its Finance Committee relating to financial and budgetary matters and decided to undertake the first review of the operations of the international regime of the Area as provided for under article 154 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
In other matters, the Assembly approved the report of its Credentials Committee (ISBA/21/A/7), which was presented by its Chair, Indera Persaud (Guyana). She reported that of the Authority’s 167 members, the credentials of 62 were received by the Secretariat. The Credentials Committee comprised Argentina, Canada, Czech Republic, Guyana, Indonesia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tonga and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The decision on financial and budgetary matters was adopted without discussion as the Council had already acted on the report and recommendations of the Finance Committee. It had also been presented to the Assembly by the Committee’s Chair, Olav Myklebust (Norway) on 16 July. (See Press release SB-21-6).
The Assembly also decided, after some debate, to undertake a general and systematic review of the manner in which the international regime of the Area had operated in practice. It would be conducted by consultants under the oversight of a review committee, comprising the President and the Bureau of the Assembly and the President of the Council, with the current President of the Assembly remaining a member until the completion of its work.
The Assembly also set 11 – 22 July as the date of its twenty-second session in Kingston
Full Press Releases: SB-21-16 | SB-21-17 (Roundup)
* *** *