Ambassador Akramul Qader presents Credentials to the Secretary General of International Seabed Authority

USANEWSONLINE : Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Akramul Qader today presented his credentials as the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the International Seabed Authority (ISA) at its headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica.

ISA Secretary General Mr. Nii Allotey Odunton welcomed the Bangladesh ambassador and accepted his credentials. Ambassador Qader pointed out that as an ISA Council Member Bangladesh has been actively involved in the framing of laws that would govern future exploration and exploitation of deep seabed resources. Expressing Bangladesh’s interest to take part in deep seabed mining projects as an individual contractor or in partnership with other countries, Ambassador Qader noted that Bangladesh would like to host an ISA sponsored workshop in the near future. He also sought the Secretary General’s support for scholarships to Bangladeshi experts in marine scientific research under the ISA endowment fund. The ISA Secretary General Mr. Odunton agreed to the Bangladesh ambassador that Bangladesh can expand its technical capacity on sea related matters by hosting one of ISA’s annual workshops. He suggested that Bangladesh should submit a detailed proposal as per the ISA directives and assured to duly consider Bangladeshi candidates for scholarships.

Established in 1994 as an autonomous international organization under the provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the ISA is mandated by the United Nations to administer all exploration and exploitation activities in the deep seabed area where precious living and non-living resources are located . As per the UNCLOS provisions the deep seabed resources  are the common heritage of mankind and therefore; the benefits of their exploitation are to be equitably shared by all nations. The Bangladesh ambassador congratulated Mr. Odunton on his remarkable accomplishments since taking the office of ISA Secretary General in 2008 as well as on his re-election last year.  The ISA Secretary General also thanked the Government of Bangladesh for appointing its Permanent Representative to the Seabed Authority.