Bangladesh Ambassador Ziauddin presents credentials to ISA Secretary General

Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Mohammad Ziauddin Thursday 13 April 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. The Secretary General noted that Bangladesh made its distinct mark in the history of international relations through application of the principles of UNCLOS in resolving its bilateral and multilateral disputes.

Ambassador Ziauddin 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. He mentioned Bangladesh’s successful hosting of the “International Workshop on Blue Economy” in September 2014 which was participated by 37 foreign experts from 19 countries in addition to that of Bangladesh. 

The Bangladesh Ambassador 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 with the Ambassador that Bangladesh could expand its technical capacity on sea related matters by hosting one of ISA’s annual workshops.

The Ambassador mentioned that Bangladesh was looking for technological and logistic support for human resource development, such as laboratory equipment for oceanographic research, training, exchange program and scholarship facility for students/teachers of the Universities, particularly in the Department of Oceanography in both Universities of University and Chittagong.

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 in 2012. The ISA Secretary General also thanked the Government of Bangladesh for appointing its Permanent Representative to the International Seabed Authority. PRESS RELEASE