Dhaka for enhanced cooperation with ISA for capacity building

Bangladesh has put stress on the need for enhanced cooperation between Dhaka and the International Seabed Authority (ISA) in the field of capacity building and technology transfer, as a means for achieving sustainable development goals.

Made up of 167 member states and the European Union, the International Seabed Authority is mandated under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to organize, regulate and control all mineral resource-related activities in the international seabed area, for the benefit of mankind as a whole.

Headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica, it also has the mandate to ensure the effective protection of the marine environment from harmful effects that may arise from deep seabed-related activities.

Bangladesh became a member of the ISA, which enjoys observer status at the United Nations, in 2001.

Presenting her credential as the permanent representative to the ISA Secretary General Michael W Lodge in a virtual ceremony on September 7, Ambassador Rabab Fatima stated that Bangladesh deeply values the role of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), especially in developing the regulatory frameworks for ensuring equitable share of benefits from deep seabed mining.

Fatima is also Bangladesh’s permanent representative to the UN.

Ambassador Fatima and Secretary General Lodge discussed issues of mutual interest between Bangladesh and the ISA, according to a press statement issued by the Bangladesh permanent mission in the UN on Thursday.

The ISA secretary general expressed his deep satisfaction to the contribution of Bangladesh in the fulfilment of the mandate of the organization.

Fatima assured the secretary general of her delegation’s deeper engagement in the ISA both at the technical and political level in future.