Starting in March, Costa Rica will be the regional coordinator of the International Seabed Authority (ISA). It is the entity created by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to protect the oceans.
Among other responsibilities, the Authority is in charge of regulating marine exploration, as well as promoting research. In addition, it is up to him to propose possible international standards to protect the seas.
Among the most controversial issues currently being seen, mining on the ocean floor stands out. In this matter, Costa Rica advocates not allowing operations unless there is sufficient scientific evidence. The office is based in Kingston, so the country’s representation will be Gina Guillén, the Costa Rican ambassador to Jamaica.
One voice for the region
“Although not all the countries in the region have the same position on some of the issues, on many others they do. This allows GRULAC (Group of Latin America and the Caribbean) to speak with one voice, and influence decisions,” said the diplomat.
Costa Rica signed the Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1992 and its ratifications in 2001.
