Kingston, July 30 (QNA): The State of Qatar participated in the 31st session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) Assembly, held in Kingston, Jamaica, from July 27 to 31.
Qatar was represented at the session by Secretary of the Standing Committee of the Convention on the Law of the Sea Omar Ali Al Ali.
Addressing the Assembly under agenda item (9) related to the annual report of the ISA Secretary-General, Al Ali reaffirmed Qatar’s support for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and its legal framework governing the international seabed area as the common heritage of humankind.
He highlighted the importance of balancing the responsible use of marine resources with the protection of the marine environment, stressing that the current phase requires stronger dialogue, cooperation and trust among member states.
Al Ali emphasized the need for science-based decision-making, comprehensive environmental assessments and transparency in the Authority’s work. He also called for continued discussions on developing non-binding strategic tools to evaluate scientific, environmental and institutional readiness for decisions under consideration.
He noted that such tools would enhance transparency and support informed decision-making while respecting the existing legal framework and mandates of the Authority’s organs.
Al Ali reaffirmed Qatar’s readiness to cooperate with all member states to strengthen the work of the International Seabed Authority and enable it to fulfill its mandate under UNCLOS in a way that serves the interests of all humanity.