Latin American and Caribbean Group

On Friday, 18 August, the Assembly met throughout the day to consider a revised draft decision on the first periodic review of the International Seabed Authority (ISA). Following consultations with capitals, delegates supported a revised schedule of meetings of the ISA organs and subsidiary bodies. Regional consultations were then held throughout the day on a reference to a joint proposal by the Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC) and the African Group on future elections of the members of the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC). Eventually, delegates agreed to “taking into account that the Council will finally consider” the joint proposal prior to the next LTC election, and adopted the decision on the first periodic review. Review Committee Chair Helmut Tuerk (Austria) stated that the decision faithfully reflects the Review Committee’s recommendations and is “a great step forward in ISA’s history.” Assembly President Muianga gaveled the meeting to a close at 3.50 pm. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from the 23rd Annual Session of the International Seabed Authority. The summary and analysis report is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. L-R: Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General; Eugénio João Muianga, Mozambique, Assembly President; Chris Brown, ISA Secretariat; and Helmut Tuerk, Austria, Review Committee Chair Md. Humayun Kabir, Bangladesh, speaking on behalf of the Asia-Pacific Group Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog, Brazil, speaking on behalf of GRULAC Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General Eugénio João Muianga, Mozambique, Assembly President Jean-Michel Despax, France Sheila Sealy Monteith, Jamaica Ariel Fernández, Argentina Maruthadu Sudhakar, India Shinichi Yamanaka, Japan Kristian Jervell, Norway Delegates from the Asia-Pacific Group consulting Delegates from the African Group consulting with Eugénio João Muianga, Mozambique, Assembly President ISA regional coordinators in informal consultations Helmut Tuerk, Austria, Review Committee Chair Eugénio João Muianga, Mozambique, Assembly President, gaveled the meeting to a close at 3:50 pm Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General, congratulates Eugénio João Muianga, Mozambique, Assembly President L-R: Dhisadee Chamlongrasdr, Thailand; John Khoo, Singapore; and Tevita Suka Mangisi, Tonga L-R: Kristian Jervell, Norway; Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General; and Kenneth Wong, Canada Secretary-General Lodge with delegates from the African Group ISA staff behind the scenes Liliana Valles, ISA Secretariat, exhibiting ISA merchandise L-R: Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General, with Elisa Morgera, Panagiotis Pomakis, Nancy Williams, Asterios Tsioumanis, and Franz Dejon (behind the camera), IISD Reporting Services

On Wednesday, 16 August, the Assembly of the International Seabed Authority met throughout the day to hear further statements on the Secretary-General’s annual report, and consider the final report of the first periodic review of the ISA, focusing on: a revised meeting schedule, a strategic plan for the ISA, environmental issues, and data management. In the evening, the Secretariat of the International Seabed Authority hosted a reception. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from the 23rd Annual Session of the International Seabed Authority. The summary and analysis report is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Flags of ISA member states L-R: Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, Legal Counsel and Deputy to the Secretary-General; Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General; Christine Griffiths, ISA Secretariat; Eugénio João Muianga, Mozambique, Assembly President; Chris Brown, ISA Secretariat; Katarina Hovden, ISA Secretariat; and Helmut Tuerk, Austria, Review Committee Chair Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Jamaica Eugénio João Muianga, Mozambique, Assembly President Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General Helmut Tuerk, Austria, Review Committee Chair View of the ISA Assembly in session Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Jamaica L-R: Eduardo Bonilla and Sergio Hernàndez Núñez, Chile Guy Sevrin, Belgium Ye Mìnn Thein, Myanmar Manuel Ferrão, Mozambique Kristian Jervell, Norway Sheila Sealy Monteith, Jamaica Karen Tan, Singapore Jean-Michel Despax, France Gaia Puleston, Australia Maruthadu Sudhakar, India Carlos Alberto Michaelsen Den Hartog, Brazil, speaking on behalf of GRULAC Kate Neilson, New Zealand René Lefeber, the Netherlands Jerome Dyment, InterRidge Julia Xue, Center for Polar and Deep Ocean Development Matthew Gianni, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition Delegates from China consulting L-R: Karen Tan, Singapore; Shorna-Kay Richards, Jamaica; and Rena Lee, Singapore L-R: Shorna-Kay Richards, Jamaica, with Mohammed Atlassi, Morocco Photos from the reception hosted by the Secretary-General of the ISA

On Monday, 14 August, the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) exchanged preliminary views on the draft exploitation regulations that had been submitted by the Secretariat to the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC), and considered draft decisions on: the summary report of the LTC Chair, including a submission from the Netherlands on a tentative approval process of environmentally responsible mining technologies; and future elections of LTC members. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from the 23rd Annual Session of the International Seabed Authority. The summary and analysis report is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. L-R: Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, Legal Counsel and Deputy to the Secretary-General; Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General; Christine Griffiths, ISA Secretariat; Ariel Fernández, Argentina, Council President for the 23rd Session; and Gwénaëlle Le Gurun, ISA Secretariat Ariel Fernández, Argentina, Council President for the 23rd Session Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General L-R: Andrés Rojas and Frida Armas-Pfirter, Argentina Tevita Suka Mangisi, Tonga Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Eduardo Bonilla, Chile René Lefeber, the Netherlands Malakai Finau, Fiji Gaia Puleston, Australia Maruthadu Sudhakar, India Arne Küper, Germany Kathy-Ann Brown, Jamaica Ma Xinmin, China Carlos García Soto, Spain Kate Neilson, New Zealand Arie Poluzzi, Indonesia Gavin Watson, UK Shinichi Yamanaka, Japan Carlos Alberto Michaelsen den Hartog, Brazil, speaking on behalf of GRULAC Jean-Michel Despax, France Ibrahim Zanna, Nigeria Piotr Nowak, Poland L-R: Duncan Currie, Greenpeace; Matthew Gianni, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition; and Simon Walmsley, WWF Karen Tan, Singapore Kristina Gjerde, IUCN Information posters on the ISA L-R: Alfonso Ascencio-Herrera, Legal Counsel and Deputy to the Secretary-General; Wini Broadbelt, the Netherlands; Michael Lodge, ISA Secretary-General; and René Lefeber, the Netherlands Cecilia Jaber, Mexico (left), in a conversation with delegates from Australia Ariel Fernández, Argentina, Council President for the 23rd Session, with Carlos García Soto, Spain L-R: Elisa Morgera, ENB/IISD Reporting Services, in a discussion with René Lefeber, the Netherlands L-R: Malakai Finau, Fiji, in a conversation with Gwénaëlle Le Gurun and Anna Elaise, ISA Secretariat Delegates from the Republic of Korea consulting