Protecting marine environment: Bangladesh urges ISA members to abide by UN framework

Bangladesh has urged the member states of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to abide by the UN framework to ensure effective protection of the marine environment from harmful effects that may arise from deep-seabed related activities.

Rear Admiral (retd) Md Khurshed Alam, secretary (Maritime Affairs Unit) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made the call at the 26th session of the ISA Council yesterday at Kingston, Jamaica under the Presidentship of Bangladesh in a hybrid format. 

He said the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) provides a framework to protect the marine environment and that all need to pay heed to that. It is an organisation established by the UNCLOS to organise, regulate and control all mineral-related activities in the international seabed area beyond the limits of national jurisdiction.

In his opening remarks, Khurshed Alam highlighted the strength of ISA as an organisation in regulating and controlling all mineral-related activities in the international seabed area for the benefit of mankind as a whole.

Michael W Lodge, secretary general of ISA highlighted the Authority's achievements and progress amid the pandemic while urging the member states to remain vigilant to ensure benefits of oceans shared by all.

The council is likely to take important decisions with regards to the status of national legislation relating to deep seabed mining, the status of contracts for exploration and related matters, drafting regulations for exploitation of mineral resources in the area.