International Seabed Authority Prepares for 22nd Annual Session

JAMAICA, Kingston (3 May 2016) - - The Authority's 22nd Annual Session will be held in Kingston, Jamaica from 11-22 July 2016. The Session will be preceded by meetings of the Legal and Technical Commission and the Finance Committee from 4-8 July.

Legal and Technical Commission

Election of members of the Legal and Technical Commission will be held during the July Session. As at 11 April 2016, 30 candidates have been submitted by members of the Authority. Full details of nominations together with qualifications of the candidates will be circulated as an official document. In the  meantime nominations can be downloaded from http://bit.ly/1UmhpQK(link is external).

The Commission met in February 2016 where it focused on priority items that included applications for extension of contractors for exploration and the preparation of draft regulations for exploitation. It expects to conclude its deliberations on these matters at the July meeting.

Finance Committee

Election of members of the Finance Committee will also be held during the July Session. As at 11 April 2016, 13 candidates have been submitted by members of the Authority. Details of the nominations will be circulated as an official document. In the interim, nominations can be downloaded from http://bit.ly/1VIvmK6(link is external).

The Finance Committee will also consider the proposed budget for the financial period 2017/2018 and review the financial statements for 2015-2016.

Council

It is the turn of the Eastern European Group to nominate a candidate for the Presidency.  Items on the Council Agenda include the consideration  of the report of the Secretary-General on the status of national legislation relating to deep seabed mining, review of the status of contracts for exploration and consideration of information relating to the periodic review of implementation of plans of works for exploration. 

The Secretariat has prepared Conference Room Papers CRP1 and CRP2 to facilitate the forthcoming elections of members of the Council for the period 2017 to 2020. In accordance with the Convention and the decisions of the Assembly, the terms of office of 20 of the members of Council will end on 31 December 2016. The vacancies in each of the 5 groups are as follows:

1. Group A (4 members)  - 2 vacancies

2. Group B (4 members)  – 1 vacancy

3. Group C (4 Members)  – 2 vacancies

4. Group D (6 Members)  – 3 vacancies

5. Group E (18 Members) - 12 vacancies

The Council will also receive the report of the chairman of the Legal and Technical Commission and consider and take action on recommendations made by the Commission. The Council will also consider recommendations by the Legal and Technical Commission in relation to applications for extension of contracts for exploration and elect members to the Commission for the next five year term beginning 1 January 2017.

Assembly

The Assembly meetings commence on Tuesday 12 July. It is the turn of the Asia and Pacific Group to nominate a candidate for the Presidency.

The Assembly is also expected to consider the reports of the Finance Committee and elect 15 members of the Committee to serve for the next five year term, consider applications for observer status, the annual report of the Secretary-General and a interim report of the review committee established in 2015 to oversee a general and systematic review of the manner in which the international regime has operated in practice.

The Assembly will also elect a Secretary-General for the 2017-2020 term. Subject to consideration and listing by the Council,  the candidates are Nii A Odunton, the current Secretary-General and Michael W Lodge, the current Deputy to the Secretary-General.

The Information Note, the provisional schedule of meetings,visa waiver details, official documents and press releases for the 22nd Session is available for download from the Authority's 22nd Session web page.