Special Session
On Tuesday, 22 July 2014, the Assembly of the International Seabed Authority met in a special session to commemorate its twentieth anniversary of its entry into force on 16 November 1994 of the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention which was opened for signature on 10 December 1982 in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Speakers at the session included the President of the Assembly; Mr Nii A Odunton, Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority; Mrs. Portia Simpson Miller, Prime Minister of host country Jamaica; Mr. Stephen Mathias, Assistant Secretary‐General for Legal Affairs on behalf of H.E. Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations; H.E. Tommy Koh, Ambassador‐at‐Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore; H.E. Satya Nandan Former ISA Secretary-General and Special Representative of the UN Secretary‐General for the Law of the Sea; Judge Jose Lui Jesus who chaired the Preparatory Commission for the ISA and ITLOS (1987-1994); Prof. Hasjim Djalal, former member of the Indonesia delegation to UNCLOS and first President of the ISA Assembly; and Judge Vladimir Golitsyn, President of the Seabed Disputes Chamber.
Also speaking at the Special Session were the Chairs of the Regional Groups.
H.E. Mumba Kapumpa, Ambassador of Zambia to South Korea and Mr Baïdy Diène, former president of the ISA Council and former LTC member will speak in the afternoon.
Opening Address: H.E. Mr. Antonio Francisco Da Costa e Silva Neto, President of the Assembly
Statement: Mr. Nii A. Odunton, ISA Secretary-General
Statement: The Most Honourable Portia Simpson Miller, O.N. M.P. Prime Minister of Jamaica
Message from H.E. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General, United Nations, delivered by Mr. Stephen Mathias, Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs
Keynote Address : Mr Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore; President, Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (1980-1982)
Statement : H.E. Mr. Satya Nandan, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the Law of the Sea; former Secretary-General of the ISA (1996-2008)
Statement : Judge José Luis Jesus, International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea; Chairman, Preparatory Commission for the ISA (1987-1994)
Statement : Prof. Hasjim Djalal, former member of the Indonesian delegation to the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (1973-1982); first President of the Assembly of the International Seabed Authority (1996)
Statement : Judge Vladimir Golitsyn, President of the Seabed Disputes Chamber (presentation on behalf of the President of the Tribunal)
Statement : Nigeria, on behalf of the African Group
Statement : Fiji, on behalf of the Asia-Pacific Group
Statement : Russia, on behalf of the Eastern European and Other States Group
Statement : Mexico, on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean States Group
Statement: Germany, on behalf of the Western European and other States Group
Statement : H.E. Mr. Mumba Kapumpa, Ambassador of Zambia to the Republic of Korea
Statement : Mr. Bäidy Diène, President of the ISA Council (2004); member of the Legal and Technical Commission (2002-2011)
Statement : Representative of Indonesia
Statement : Representative of Trinidad and Tobago
Statement : Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS)