Jamaica Reaffirms Commitment to ISA Principles

Jamaica has reaffirmed its commitment to the principles of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and the sustainable management of the world’s oceans.

“We are dedicated to supporting the ISA’s efforts and to playing our part in the global endeavour to preserve and protect our oceans,” said State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Alando Terrelonge.

He was addressing a side event to commemorate the ISA’s 30th anniversary, at the Jamaica Conference Centre in Kingston on Tuesday (July 30), under the theme ‘30 Years of Stewardship: The ISA and the Future of Ocean Governance’.

As host country of the ISA, Jamaica, Mr. Terrelonge said, takes great pride in its long-standing relationship with the Authority.

“The establishment of the ISA marked an important moment in the multilateral arena. This organisation was tasked with a mandate that remains even more crucial today as it was three decades ago – to organise and control all mineral-related activities in the International Seabed Area, ensuring the equitable sharing of benefits derived from these resources, and to protect the marine environment from the potential adverse effects of such activities,” he said.

Mr. Terrelonge noted that the ISA’s work over the past 30 years has been transformative, bringing to life the collective vision of how the international community can collectively manage a common resource for the benefit of all humanity.

He commended the ISA for developing a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework for exploration in the Area, noting that the management of exploration activities continues to be refined in order to increase efficiency.

The State Minister disclosed that negotiations are also well under way for the finalisation of regulations for the exploration of mineral resources and the associated standards and guidelines.

“The ISA has also been instrumental in fostering international cooperation and capacity-building, to ensure that all countries, particularly developing countries like Jamaica, can participate equitably in exploration activities and will benefit from the utilisation of seabed resources,” he said.

Mr. Terrelonge urged Member States to continue building on the foundation laid over the past three decades and leverage scientific advancements, technological innovations and intentional international cooperation to ensure the health and resilience of the oceans for generations to come.

For his part, Secretary-General to the ISA, Michael Lodge, underscored that in its 30 years of existence the Authority has prevented occupation of the seabed; promoted scientific knowledge, innovation and technology; enabled full participation of developing states; protected the marine environment from serious harm and overexploitation of resources; and has provided a template for governments of a global commons.

He explained that in an era where international cooperation is becoming more difficult, the ISA is an example of how an appropriate balance can be struck between the exercise of the rights of individual States and shared interests.

Mr. Lodge pointed out that the Government and people of Jamaica have made a unique contribution to the growth of the ISA.

“Jamaica has more than delivered on the promises made to us and on behalf of everyone, I express our gratitude and appreciation to Jamaica for your support for the authority. At 30 years old and 62 years old, respectively, I firmly believe that for both the authority and Jamaica, our best days lie ahead of us,” the Secretary-General stated.