Tonga has been re-elected for another four-years as member state of the International Seabed Authority Council during its 24th session held in Kingston, Jamaica, last month.

After campaigning at the United Nations in New York for member state support, and obtaining the endorsement of the Asia-Pacific Group, Tonga was re-elected for another four-years starting in 2019.

The Secretary for Foreign Affairs Mahe Tupouniua led the Tongan Government delegation, who included representatives from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Attorney General’s Office, staff and advisors of Tonga's Permanent Mission to the United Nations and a member from Tonga, of the independent expert advisory group to the Council, the Legal and Technical Commission.

The council's work this session was primarily focused on the ongoing development of the draft regulations proposed in 2017 for seabed mining and working to ensure the establishment of a financial mechanism for the equitable sharing of benefits from mining, if it eventuates.

It also worked to ensure an appropriate balance between the need to conserve and replenish the environment, and seabed mining.

Foreign Affairs stated the assembly also focused its attention on a draft five-year strategic plan of the Authority, the first of its kind since its establishment in 1994, and the election of 18 member states to the Council for another four-year term, including Tonga.

As the executive organ of the Authority, the elected Council establishes specific policies in conformity with the Convention and the general policies set by the Assembly.

It supervises and coordinates implementation of the elaborate regime established by the Convention to promote and regulate exploration for, and exploitation of, deep-sea minerals by States, corporations, and other entities. Under this system, no such activity may legally take place until contracts have been signed between each interested entity and the Authority.

The Council’s task is to draw up the terms of contracts, approve contract applications, oversee implementation of the contracts, and establish environmental and other standards, among other things.

"Being an elected member of the Council allows Tonga to ensure an appropriate balance between the important and paramount need for conservation and replenishment of the marine environment, if mining commences, and mining itself."

This session held a one-week meeting of the 37-member Council, and one-week meeting of the 168-member Assembly of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, who are members of the Authority.

Tonga has a Seabed Minerals Act 2014 and first became a member state of the Council in 2015.