African Group

  IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore, opened the first session of the IGC The first session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) opened with general statements, focusing on: •    key features of the ILBI; •    priority issues to be addressed in the ILBI; and •    expectations concerning the process towards developing a zero draft.For extensive details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, provided daily reports and daily web coverage from BBNJ IGC 1. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report from the meeting.   Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Miguel de Serpa Soares, Secretary-General of the IGC, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel, on behalf of UN Secretary-General António Guterres IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS Mohamed Omar Gad, Egypt, on behalf of the G-77/China A view of the room of the IGC plenary from the dais Andreas Papaconstantinou, EU Ali Naseer Mohamed, Maldives, on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Khurshed Alam, Bangladesh, on behalf of the Least Developed Countries Participants from civil society. Juliette Babb-Riley, Barbados, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Olai Uludong, Palau Alain Tellier, Canada Alice Revell, New Zealand Dekalega Fintakpa Lamega, Togo Generoso Calonge, the Philippines Florian Botto, Monaco Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Holy See Delegates from Ecuador consulting Delegates from the Philippines Delegates from Spain L-R: Melanie Virtue, Convention on Migratory Species Secretariat and Jihyun Lee, Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat L-R: Yongsheng Cai and Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, International Seabed Authority, in a conversation with Khurshed Alam, Bangladesh  

Highlights for Tuesday, 24 July 2018 Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, ISA Legal Counsel and Deputy to the Secretary-General; Pearnel Charles, Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jamaica; Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General; and Mariusz Orion Jędrysek, Assembly President On Tuesday, 24 July, the Assembly of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) discussed the report of the ISA Secretary-General, with statements focusing on: progress in the development of the exploitation regulations and the implementation of the common heritage of humankind; the protection of the marine environment, including through international cooperation; and marine scientific research, capacity building and training. For extensive details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily digital web coverage and daily reports in English and French from ISA-24. In addition, IISD Reporting Services, will publish a summary and analysis report from ISA-24 on Sunday, 29 July 2018. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera L-R: Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General; Pearnel Charles, Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jamaica; Kathy Ann Brown, Jamaica; and Raquel Hudson, Minister’s Assistant Pearnel Charles, Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jamaica Amb. Hiromasa Yamazaki, Japan Amb. Tian Qi, China Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group The Chilean delegation in discussion Kate Neilson, New Zealand Tidiani Couma, Monaco Bashar Almowaizri, Kuwait; and Amb. Malek Twal, Jordan Tano Koffi Bertin, Côte d’Ivoire Kathy Ann Brown, Jamaica, in a discussion with Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog, Brazil Burhan Gafoor, Singapore Graham Leung, Nauru Tommo Monthe, Cameroon; and Jean-Michel Despax, France Daniele Bosio, Italy Lowri Mai Griffiths, United Kingdom (UK) The delegation from Ecuador during informal consultations Sabita Nakarmi, Nepal Hau Do Suan, Myanmar Jeannette Mwangi, Kenya Tomasz Grysa, Holy See Alice Hicuburundi, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS) Philomène Verlaan and Lindsey Harris, Sargasso Sea Commission Jeemer Lippwe, Micronesia; and Juan José González Mijares, Mexico Tetsuya Yoshimoto, Amb. Hiromasa Yamazaki, and Shinichi Yamanaka, Japan Delegates from South Africa consult the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea Fitzgerald Jeffrey and Dr Diva Amon, Trinidad and Tobago Amadou Jaiteh, The Gambia; and Mohammed Atlassi, Morocco Esther Salamanca Aguado and Carlos García Soto, Spain Tom Diederen, Wini Broadbelt, and Laurens de Jonge, the Netherlands L-R: Patrik Schotte, Guy Sevrin and Wendy Bonne, Belgium L-R: Apete Soro and Malakai Finau, Fiji; Adi Talanaivini Mafi, Tonga; Dr Diva Amon, Trinidad and Tobago; and Epeli Maisema, Fiji Around the Venue

Highlights for Monday, 23 July 2018 Dr Diva Amon, Trinidad and Tobago, inaugural recipient of the Secretary-General’s Award for Excellence in Deep Sea Research; and Mariusz Orion Jędrysek (left), Assembly President; and Michael Lodge (right), ISA Secretary-General, during the award On Monday, 23 July, the Assembly of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) opened and discussed: the possible development of guidelines on observers; and the report of the President of the Council. In the afternoon, the Assembly heard the report of the ISA Secretary-General and witnessed the award of the inaugural Secretary-General’s Award for Excellence in Deep-sea Research.For extensive details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily digital web coverage and daily reports in English and French from ISA-24. In addition, IISD Reporting Services, will publish a summary and analysis report from ISA-24 on Sunday, 29 July 2018. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera L-R: Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, ISA Legal Counsel and Deputy to the Secretary-General; Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General; Eugénio João Muianga, outgoing Assembly President; and Yongsheng Cai, ISA Secretariat, during a minute of silence Vladimir Vinokurov, Russian Federation Eugénio João Muianga, outgoing Assembly President Eugénio João Muianga (right), outgoing Assembly President congratulates Mariusz Orion Jędrysek, incoming Assembly President Olav Myklebust, Council President for the 24th Session Mariusz Orion Jędrysek, Assembly President Kristina Gjerde, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Dr Diva Amon, Trinidad and Tobago, addresses delegates after receiving the Award for Excellence in Deep Sea Research. Guy Sevrin, Belgium Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog, Brazil Delegates from Saudi Arabia consult informally Duncan Currie, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition Yoshihisa Shirayama, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) Malakai Finau, Fiji Lorena Donoso, Ecuador Delegates during Monday’s proceedings John Fintakpa Lamega, Togo Alexis Eduardo Sandoval Cajar, Panama Jeemer Lippwe, Micronesia Saiba Sylla and Selle Mbengue, Senegal Barbara Haley, Guyana Fitzgerald Jeffrey, Trinidad and Tobago Delegates from Ghana confer Holly Matley and David Yardley, Australia Mohammed Atlassi, Morocco; and Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General Peter Espeut, Holy See; and Conn Nugent, Pew Charitable Trusts The African Group meets at the end of the meeting Urs Daniel Engels, Germany; and Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway Kenneth Wong, Canada; Cristóbal Hernández Castillo, Chile; and Laura Gavinelli, Italy Delegates during a break The Jamaican delegation in discussions with Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General The Nigerian delegation consult informally Nicole de Paula, ENB; and Dr Diva Amon, Trinidad and Tobago Didier Ortolland, France; and Jean-Christophe Vandevelde, ENB L-R: Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, ISA Legal Counsel and Deputy to the Secretary-General; Mariusz Orion Jędrysek, Assembly President; Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General; Olav Myklebust, Council President for the 24th Session; and Yongsheng Cai, ISA Secretariat The delegation from the Republic of Korea Around the Venue

Highlights for Friday, 20 July 2018 L-R: Olav Myklebust, Council President for the 24th Session; Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, ISA Legal Counsel and Deputy to the Secretary-General; Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General; and Gwénaëlle Le Gurun, ISA Secretariat, at the end of the Council meeting On Friday, 20 July, the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) discussed: an outstanding issue in the proposed budget for 2019-2020; the operationalization of the Enterprise; the way forward on the development of the payment system and the draft exploitation regulations; and a German submission on facilitating the work of the ISA. The Council adopted a decision on the report of the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC) and President Myklebust drew the meeting to a close at 5:50pm. For extensive details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily digital web coverage and daily reports in English and French from ISA-24. In addition, IISD Reporting Services, will publish a summary and analysis report from ISA-24 on Sunday, 29 July 2018. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera Olav Myklebust, Council President for the 24th Session, gavels the Council meeting to a close The Council during Friday’s proceedings Kathy Ann Brown, Jamaica Mariusz Orion Jędrysek, Poland Juan José González Mijares, Mexico Thembile Joyini, South Africa Informal consultations on the Council decision on the report of the Legal and Technical Commission Ibrahim Zanna, Nigeria Frida Armas-Pfirter, Argentina Delegates from Singapore in consultations Rima Browne, Paul Lynch, and Petero Okotai, Cook Islands Juan José González Mijares and Karla Jones Anaya, Mexico Kathy Ann Brown and Coy Roache, Jamaica; and Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog, Brazil Olav Myklebust, Council President for the 24th Session, Rena Lee and Burhan Gafoor, Singapore Rose Kautoke and Rennie Vaiomounga, Tonga David Yardley, Australia, and Kate Neilson, New Zealand Wendy Bonne, Belgium, and Matthew Gianni, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition Duncan Currie, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition; Greg O’Brien and Jeffrey Reidenauer, US Megan Jungwiwattanaporn, Pew Charitable Trusts; Maya Breitburg-Smith and Paul de Morgan, RESOLVE Holly Matley, Australia; and Didier Ortolland, France Didier Ortolland, France; Christian Reichert, Germany; and Russell Howorth, Fiji Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria; and Pat Piotr Czepulonis, Poland Peter Jantzen, Blue Minerals Ltd; and Anne Sophie Vinther Hansen, Maersk Supply Service Jean-Christophe Vandevelde, ENB; and Alexey Orel, Russian Federation The delegation from Chile The delegation from Nigeria Rogério Gonçalves and Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog, Brazil The German delegation Tini Duburiya and Graham Leung, Nauru Kirsty McQuaid, Plymouth University, and Annekah Mason, ISA Secretariat Marzia Rovere and Arianna Cofini, Italy The African Group at the end of the meeting Around the Venue

Highlights for Thursday, 19 July 2018 Delegates at Thursday’s Council meeting On Thursday, 19 July, the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) discussed: the report of the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC) for 2018; contractors’ compliance issues; a submission from the Netherlands on measures to protect the marine environment in areas beyond national jurisdiction; the report of the Finance Committee; and the budget. For extensive details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily digital web coverage and daily reports in English and French from ISA-24. In addition, IISD Reporting Services, will publish a summary and analysis report from ISA-24 on Sunday, 29 July 2018. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera Michelle Walker, Chair of the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC) Olav Myklebust, Norway, Council President for the 24th Session Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog, Brazil Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, ISA Legal Counsel and Deputy to the Secretary-General, and Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General David Yardley, Australia L-R: Tom Diederen, Wini Broadbelt, and Martijn Peijs, the Netherlands Kjell Kristian Egge, Norway Mohammed Atlassi, Morocco Kate Neilson, New Zealand Khurshed Alam, Bangladesh Ernesto Malda and Karla Jones Anaya, Mexico Ariel Fernández, Argentina Maruthadu Sudhakar, India Tommo Monthe, Cameroon Kenneth Wong, Canada Jung-Eun Kim and Young Lee, Republic of Korea Mahe ‘Uli’uli Sandhurst Tupouniua, Tonga Kathy Ann Brown, Jamaica Marzia Rovere, Italy Malakai Finau, Fiji Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, ISA Legal Counsel and Deputy to the Secretary-General; Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General; Olav Myklebust, Council President for the 24th Session; Gwénaëlle Le Gurun, ISA Secretariat; Andrzej Przybycin, Chair of the Finance Committee; and Jean-Louis Thouvenin, ISA Secretariat Ma Xinmin, China Andrzej Przybycin, Chair of the Finance Committee Paul Lynch, Cook Islands Kristina Gjerde, IUCN Gavin Watson, United Kingdom (UK) Urs Daniel Engels, Germany Conn Nugent, Pew Charitable Trusts Jihyun Lee, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Matthew Gianni, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition Anna Metaxas, Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative (DOSI) Delegates during Thursday’s proceedings Delegates share a laugh before the morning session Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, ISA Legal Counsel and Deputy to the Secretary-General; Olav Myklebust, Council President for the 24th Session; and Gwénaëlle Le Gurun, ISA Secretariat, at the end of the session Delegates from Germany and France during informal consultations Delegates from Nigeria consult at the end of the meeting The Japanese delegation at ISA-24 Representatives from the Pacific Islands Around the Venue

Highlights for Wednesday, 18 July 2018 Delegates from the Republic of Korea in informal consultations On Wednesday, 18 July, the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) continued discussing the draft exploitation regulations, part by part, as well as focusing on matters requiring the Council’s direction that were identified by the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC). Discussions focused on: the overall balance of contractors’ rights and obligations; the balance between certainty and flexibility; the balance of authority among ISA organs; protection of the marine environment; and confidentiality of information. For extensive details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily digital web coverage and daily reports in English and French from ISA-24. In addition, IISD Reporting Services, will publish a summary and analysis report from ISA-24 on Sunday, 29 July 2018. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera Delegates during Wednesday’s proceedings Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Duncan Currie, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition Mahe ‘Uli’uli Sandhurst Tupouniua, Tonga Philomène Verlaan, Sargasso Sea Commission Sergio Hernàndez Núñez, Chile Alexey Orel, Russian Federation Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog, Brazil David Yardley, Australia Graham Evans, International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) Ma Xinmin, China Conn Nugent, Pew Charitable Trusts Kamila Mianowicz, Poland Jihyun Lee, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Didier Ortolland, France Kathy Ann Brown, Jamaica Sellé Mbengue, Senegal Luke Tang, Singapore Ingo Narberhaus, Germany Kate Neilson, New Zealand Graham Leung, Nauru Matthew Gianni, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition Kate Neilson and Jonathan Muliaga, New Zealand Amy Gartman, US Geological Survey, and Carsten Rühlemann, Germany Delegates share a laugh before the morning session Conn Nugent, Pew Charitable Trusts, consults with Olav Myklebust, Council President for the 24th Session Tommo Monthe, Cameroon, and Tidiani Couma, Monaco Jean-Christophe Vandevelde, ENB, and Duncan Currie, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition The Chinese delegation at ISA-24 Around the Venue