MEDIA ADVISORY | 7 February 2019
The International Seabed Authority (ISA) and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) will hold a regional training and capacity building workshop for Pacific Small Island Developing States (P-SIDS) on deep seabed mining in Nuku’alofa, Kingdom of Tonga, from 12 to 14 February 2019.
The workshop is being held as part of the joint ISA-UNDESA ‘Abyssal initiative for Blue Growth,’ one of the seven Voluntary Commitments made by ISA at the UN Ocean Conference in 2017 to advance implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources (#OceanAction16538).
High-level representatives from P-SIDS and experts in deep seabed mining and marine science will gather at the workshop to discuss the potential benefits of increased participation of P-SIDS in deep-sea related activities, and how to ensure that the people in the region will fully benefit from such activities.
Held over three-days, the workshop will feature sessions on: the status of deep seabed mining activities in the Pacific; the roles and responsibilities of sponsoring States; the legal regime for marine scientific research and environmental management of resources. It is also envisaged that through this workshop, it will be possible to identify better the specific capacity-building needs of P-SIDS in regards to deep seabed mineral related activities.
What: Pacific Small Island Developing States Regional Training and Capacity Building Workshop on Deep
Seabed Mining
When: 12 to 14 February 2019
Where: Tanoa International Hotel, Nuku’alofa Kingdom of Tonga
Who: High level representatives from P-SIDS, ISA, UNDESA, SPC, PIF-OPOC, PIDF, Deep Green Metals, TOML
MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
Tuesday, 12 February 2019
09:00 – 10:00 Opening addresses
- Mr Mahe ‘Uli’uli Sandhurst Tupouniua, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Tonga
- Mr Michael Lodge, Secretary-General, International Seabed Authority
- Mr Sainivalati Navoti, Chief, SIDS Unit, UNDESA
- Mr Akuila Tawake, Head of Geo-surveys and Georesources sector, Geology-Energy and Maritime Division, Pacific Community
