THE ROLE OF THE INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE AREA: A LEGAL APPRAISAL

Abstract

The International Seabed Authority is an international organization created in 1982 by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Implementation Agreement of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1994 to administer the Area and the resources found therein. However, the persistent complains of the absence of an exploitation regulation in the Area for over two decades is a call for concern on the effectiveness of the International Seabed Authority in exercising its role of managing the Area. This paper is focused on investigating the strategies adopted by the International Seabed Authority for the management of the Area and the challenges it encounters in this regard. The paper does so through the exploitation of secondary and primary sources of information. Secondary data were collected from books, academic journals, magazines, and official publications touching the subject matter. To compliment secondary data, primary data was also used and this was done essentially through interviews, focus group discussions and questionnaires. The data collected were analyzed with the use of a thematic content approach. The ensuing results revealed that the strategies range from the adoption of a Strategic Plan, and the establishment of a Mining Code to Environmental Management Plans.