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Thank you Mr President. I would like to congratulate you , my friend, on your election as President of this body and assure you of the New Zealand delegation’s support and cooperation throughout the duration of your work in this role.
New Zealand would like to thank the Secretary-General and the staff of the International Seabed Authority for again providing us with a helpful annual report describing the areas of work of the Authority over the past year. I would note the three broad functions of the Authority as set out in the Convention and described in paragraph 36 of the SG’s report – to manage the mineral resources of the Area, in so doing to ensure the effective protection of the marine environment, and to promote and encourage the conduct of marine scientific research in the Area as well as to coordinate and disseminate the results of such research.
It is clear from the most recent annual report provided by the Secretary-General that the Authority is active in each of these three areas and continues to fulfil its functions in that regard. New Zealand wishes to commend the Secretary-General for his continued emphasis on the importance of strong environmental management of the Area’s resources, and also of the focus he has given to the work of the Authority in the area of marine scientific research.
New Zealand considers the work of the Authority in the area of marine scientific research to be a highly valuable and practical output of the Authority, including at this phase in its lifespan prior to the commencement of economic exploitation of mineral resources of the Area.
NZ is extremely pleased that the Secretary General’s initiative to establish the Endowment Fund has been endorsed and adopted by members of the Assembly. We note that the cost of participation in marine scientific research is high, and also that the annual income to be received by the Fund is relatively modest. Like Brazil, New Zealand also looks forward to development of rules governing the application of fund, and also for the full use of the Endowment Fund towards its primary purposes of promoting marine scientific research and providing opportunities for qualified scientists from developing countries to participate in research activities in the Area
New Zealand considers that the Authority’s work to develop a prospectors’ guide and geological model of polymetallic nodule deposits in the Clarion-Clipperton fracture zone is a most valuable example of implementation of the Authority’s three functions. New Zealand wishes to thank those former pioneer investors, that is COMRA, KORDI and the IOM, who have already provided essential data and information that is now enabling this project to progress. New Zealand notes the Secretary-General’s advice in paragraph 68 of his report that - provided further data and information is forthcoming from those investors I have already mentioned and especially from those who have not yet provided information – then it will be possible to complete this project in 2008. This timeframe is slower than originally anticipated. New Zealand urges those investors who have yet to provide data and information to do so at the earliest possible occasion. In this way, the principles of common heritage of mankind and that of scientific research in the Area being undertaken for the benefit of all can be effectively implemented.
New Zealand commends the Authority on its engagement in a range of collaborative projects of marine scientific research and, like Malta, would also be interested in learning more details about the collaborative work undertaken by the Authority referred to in the Secretary-General’s report.
NZ notes that section of the Secretary-General’s report which addresses the work of the Ad-hoc Open-ended Working Group on marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction. As pointed out by the Secretary-General in paragraph 52 of his report, the United Nations General Assembly has the central role in addressing issues relating to conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction. New Zealand strongly endorses that central role for UNGA – New Zealand supports the continuation of the dialogue begun under UNGA auspices, and considers that opportunity is the primary forum for continuing debate on those issues. We thank the Authority for its participation in the Ad-hoc Working group held in February this year, and look forward to the further active participation of the Authority in future meetings on the topic.
Finally, New Zealand notes that this coming year completes the three year work programme of the Authority, and that the Council and Assembly will have before them at the 13th session next year a comprehensive review and evaluation of projects undertaken over the previous three years and a work programme for the next period from 2008 to 2010. New Zealand takes this opportunity to thank the Secretary-General in advance for his work to prepare a work programme for the next period that, as has been the case in the past, continues the focus of the Authority on concrete outputs and valuable contributions to international cooperation in marine scientific research in the Area and to our collective ability to ensure strong environmental management of activities undertaken in the Area.
Thank you Mr President.
