Dhaka, 7March 2021:

Bangladesh has been elected as the member of the Council of the International Seabed Authority for a four-year term from 01 January 2021 to 31 December 2024. Bangladesh has active participation in ISA activities as member state as well as a member of Council. Bangladesh has been Council member for consecutive three 4-year terms; 2009-12, 2013-16 and 2017-2020.

ISA was established in 1994, pursuant to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea-1982, and is aimed at administering the mineral resources of the deep seabed beyond areas of national jurisdiction. ISA, having its headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica; is the organization through which States Parties to UNCLOS organize and control all mineral-resources-related activities in the Area for the benefit of mankind as a whole. In so doing, ISA has the mandate to ensure the effective protection of the marine environment from harmful effects that may arise from deep-seabed related activities. It has contributed to drafting of international rules and regulations on the exploitation of polymetallic nodules, Ferro manganese crust and polymetallicsulphides.

As the executive organ of the Authority, the 36-member Council supervises and coordinates implementation of the elaborate regime established by the UNCLOS to promote and regulate exploration for and exploitation of deep-sea minerals by States, corporations and other entities.

Notably, Secretary (Maritime Affairs Unit) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rear Admiral (Retd) MdKhurshedAlam is the current elected President of the 26^th Session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) Council. He was elected on 01 October 2020 and will act as the President until the next session, to be held tentatively in the end of this year.

Rear Admiral (Retd) MdKhurshedAlam had also been elected before, as President of the 168-member 22^nd Assembly in 2016 which was the first time for Bangladesh to be elected in such a position in the International Seabed Authority (ISA).