Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith, was elected as the President of the 25th Session of the Assembly of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) on Monday, July 22 at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown, Kingston.
In assuming that leadership role, Minister Johnson Smith stated, “Jamaica is deeply honoured to assume the Presidency of this 25th Session. It is a particularly special occasion, not only in the context of the Authority’s 25th Anniversary, but also because it is the first time that Jamaica will be presiding over the Assembly. This is an opportunity that we greatly appreciate and welcome.”
The Minister extended a warm welcome to all delegates and urged them to take some time to experience Jamaica’s warmth and hospitality. She shared that, “the Assembly will provide an opportunity for insightful discussions on how the Authority can implement its strategic directions in such a way as to best meet the needs of all States. We also look forward to the Secretary General’s report on the activities of the Authority over the last year.”
This year marks the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the ISA’s establishment in Jamaica and the entry into force of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). As such, the Session will include a special commemorative meeting of the Assembly on Thursday, July 25 with the 2019 staging of the Secretary-General’s Award for Excellence in Deep Sea Research and a High-Level Panel Discussion entitled “Strengthening capacity-building opportunities and initiatives for developing States” as well as a formal ceremony of commemoration in the afternoon.
To bring the day’s activities to a close, the Minister will host a reception at the new offices of the Foreign Ministry in downtown, Kingston.
The Foreign Minister also shared that the Ministry’s commemorative activities will feature an Inaugural Biennial Lecture on Tuesday, July 23 to be presented by, Professor Stephen Vasciannie, under the theme, “The Role of the Montego Bay Convention and the International Seabed Authority in Contributing to International Rule of Law.”
During the session, members of the Assembly will also consider: implementation of the Strategic Plan for ISA for the period 2019 – 2023 and the High-Level Action Plan; requests for Observer status; the annual report of the Secretary-General, and the statement by the Council President on the work of the Council.
