At the 28th Council of the International Seabed Authority being held in Kingston, Jamaica, negotiations resumed on Environmental Impact Assessment. Bangladesh delegate Rear Admiral (retd) Md. Khurshed Alam, Secretary (Maritime Affairs Unit) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs tookpart in the deliberations and significantly contributed to the negotiations. Khurshed Alam elected chair of Finance Committee of the International Seabed Authority  The meeting of the Council is taking place from July 10-21, 2023 and the ISA Assembly will meet from July 24-28, 2023. International Seabed Authority lauds Bangladesh's 'invaluable' contributions   Delegates deliberated on the meaning of ‘cumulative effects’ within the context of synergetic effects and expressed a preference for differentiating between ‘impacts’ and ‘effects’. Deliberations also took place on the reference to ‘coastal states’, difference between ‘environmental impact statements’ (EIS) and ‘environmental impact assessments’ (EIA), text of the Regulations on Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Report, identification of potential cumulative effects and extension of public consultation activities. Most delegates observed that all EIS should be publicly available, suggesting creating an actual public repository of these documents separate from the official ISA webpage. Discussions also took place on whether the test mining should be done, the sequence of test mining and its timing. Most delegations noted their preference that this be done during the exploration phase and would like to see defined scales of testing program and the assessments that need to take place. However, some delegates asked for a new definition of ‘test mining’ and reminded that the work should be coordinated with the submarine cables. The session of the Informal working group on the protection and preservation of the marine environment asked all eight intersessional working groups established in March 2023 to resume the intersessional work and report in November. At the discussions on the informal working group on inspection, compliance and enforcement, a report was summarized on the work it facilitated intersessionally to formulate a model for an inspection mechanism. The report proposes a hybrid model that takes different approaches into consideration, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday. In particular, it proposes the establishment of a Compliance Committee within the LTC (the LTCCC) which would be responsible for overall compliance and enforcement issues. While deliberations took place on whether the LTCCC should be autonomous or created within the LTC, caution was also expressed against creating new bodies not supported under UNCLOS. Regarding Regulation on Inspections, emphasis was given on streamlining the text and amending those to ensure consistency with the terms used in the UNCLOS.  

International Seabed Authority (ISA) Secretary-General Michael W. Lodge has commended Rear Admiral (Retd) Md. Khurshed Alam, President of the council for the 26th session, for his “wisdom, patience and determined leadership. Secretary-General Lodge said Khurshed Alam's leadership enabled ISA to “overcome numerous challenges” to keep the essential business of the council going by using the silence procedure. He noted “the overwhelming support to the timely resumption of in-person meetings given by the Council members” and welcomed all members and observers back to the ISA headquarters at Kingston, Jamaica. The 26th Session of the Council, ISA concluded on Friday under the Presidentship of Khurshed Alam, Secretary (Maritime Affairs Unit), Ministry of Foreign Affairs. All 36 Member States of the Council attended the session either in-person or virtually. Among them, 25 Member States attended the session in-person. The Council meeting will be followed by the meeting of the Assembly from December 13-15. Khurshed Alam will make a statement at the Assembly meeting as the President of Council on its work. In 26th session, the Council approved applications for extensions of contracts in accordance with the procedures and criteria for the extension of an approved plan of work for exploration. The Council also approved report of the Finance Committee on the issue of the equitable sharing of benefits and report of the Special Representative for the Enterprise. It approved a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and International Seabed Authority (ISA). The report of the Secretary General on the status of national legislation related to seabed mining and related matters were also approved by the Council. READ: China lauds Bangladesh’s progress in socio-economic development, democracy Roadmap for drafting regulations for exploitation of mineral resources in the Area was much discussed in the session, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Former ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin has once again been appointed as an ambassador-at-large with the rank and status of a minister. The government issued a gazette notification Thursday confirming his appointment. Prior to joining as Bangladesh ambassador to the US, he was ambassador-at-Large of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with the rank and status of a state minister. Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin served as Bangladesh ambassador to the US and was concurrently accredited to the Republic of Argentina, Belize, the Republic of Colombia, the Dominican Republic, the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. He was also permanent representative to the International Seabed Authority located in Jamaica. After joining the diplomatic service, Ziauddin served in Bangladesh High Commission in London, Bangladesh High Commission in Nairobi, and at the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York. Also, he was director-general of the International Organizations Wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and chief of protocol to the Government of Bangladesh before joining as Bangladesh ambassador to Italy. Ziauddin was Ambassador to Italy, concurrently in charge as Bangladesh ambassador to the Republic of Albania and to the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina. He was also the permanent representative of Bangladesh to FAO, WFP, and IFAD.

Bangladesh has been elected member of the Council of the International Seabed Authority for a four-year term from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2024.

Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York Ambassador Rabab Fatima has said they need an equitable share of marine resources, especially in areas beyond national jurisdiction and in ISA controlled areas to maximise the full potentials of the blue economy.

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Rabab Fatima has stressed the need for increased cooperation between Bangladesh and ISA in the field of capacity building and technology transfer, as a means for achieving sustainable development goals.