Selected Decisions and Documents - International Seabed Authority

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22. In December 2008, the secretariat held informal discussions with representatives of the International Cable Protection Committee, which is the global organization representing the telecommunications and cable‐laying industry. The International Cable Protection Committee exists to promote the safeguarding of submarine cables against man‐made and natural hazards. It also provides a forum for the exchange of technical and legal information pertaining to submarine cable protection methods and programmes, including exchanging information on the location of existing and proposed cables. While noting that the laying of submarine cables is a freedom of the high seas, it was observed during the discussions that it was in the interests of both the Authority and the members of the Committee to avoid potential conflicts between the laying of cables and activities in the Area. Both organizations also had a strong interest in the protection of the marine environment from adverse impacts arising from their respective activities. With these objectives in mind, the Committee offered to make a presentation to members of the Authority at the fifteenth session on the activities of the Committee and its members. An invitation was also extended to the Authority to make a reciprocal presentation on the work of the Authority to the next plenary meeting of the International Cable Protection Committee. IX. SECRETARIAT 23. The only change to the secretariat during the period under review was the recruitment of a Finance Officer (P‐4) to fill the vacancy that had arisen in the approved staffing table owing to the retirement of the previous incumbent. 24. It was noted in the annual report of the Secretary‐General for 2008 that a Joint Appeals Board, consisting of a chairman and four members, had been established pursuant to rule 111.1 of the Staff Rules to consider and advise the Secretary‐General regarding appeals by staff members against administrative decisions alleging the non‐observance of their terms of appointment. In the light of the potential for conflict of interest given the small size of the secretariat, it was subsequently decided to appoint a further two members to the Joint Appeals Board in order to increase the available pool of members. The members so appointed, for a two‐year period with effect from 14 July 2008, are Samia Ladgham (appointed by the Secretary‐General) and Anthony J. Miller (appointed by representatives of the staff). Both new members have substantial experience in the United Nations common system. 25. In common with other international organizations within the United Nations common system, the secretariat continues to observe the minimum operational security standards established from time to time by the Department of Safety and Security of the United Nations Secretariat. These require, among other things, the implementation of residential security measures for all internationally recruited staff members. In a change to the previous situation, in January 2009, the Department of Safety and Security declared the whole of the island of Jamaica under Security Phase I. Previously, only the downtown Kingston area, including the Authority’s headquarters and the Jamaica Conference Centre, had been designated as Security Phase I areas requiring enhanced security measures. This had previously been cited as one of the primary obstacles that had prevented the United Nations agencies in Jamaica from taking up the unutilized space in the Authority’s headquarters. Since the Authority, and its staff, were already subject to Phase I security measures, it is not expected that the expansion of the security phase to cover the entire island of Jamaica would have any financial or other implications for the Authority. X. BUDGET AND FINANCE A. Budget 26. For the financial period 2009‐2010, the Assembly of the Authority adopted a budget of $12,516,500. This represents a nominal average increase of 6.2 per cent against the 2007‐2008 budget. However, when inflationary factors are considered, it actually represented a decrease in the budget in real terms. 5
27. The approved budget for the financial period 2007‐2008 was $11,728,363. As of 31 December 2008, there was an accumulated surplus over‐expenditure of $458,008. This was combined with income from other sources of $360,222 to reduce the overall level of assessed contributions to the approved budget for 2009‐ 2010 by $868,000. B. Status of contributions 28. In accordance with the Convention and the 1994 Agreement, the administrative expenses of the Authority shall be met by assessed contributions of its members until the Authority has sufficient funds from other sources to meet those expenses. The scale of assessments shall be based on the scale used for the regular budget of the United Nations, adjusted for differences in membership. As at 1 March 2009, 52 per cent of the value of contributions to the 2009 budget due from member States and the European Community had been received from 46 members of the Authority. 29. Contributions outstanding from member States for prior periods (1998‐2008) totalled $272,422. Notices are regularly sent to member States reminding them of the arrears. In accordance with article 184 of the Convention and rule 80 of the rules of procedure of the Assembly, a member of the Authority that is in arrears in the payment of its financial contribution shall have no vote if the amount of its arrears equals or exceeds the amount of financial contribution due from it for the preceding two years. As at 1 March 2009, 49 members of the Authority were in arrears for a period of two years or more. They were: Bahrain, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Comoros, Cook Islands, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea‐Bissau, Honduras, Iraq, Lesotho, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Micronesia (Federated States of), Montenegro, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niue, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Republic of Moldova, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Vanuatu, Zambia and Zimbabwe. 30. Also as at 1 March 2009, the balance of the Working Capital Fund stood at $438,069, thus exceeding its approved ceiling of $438,000 by $69. C. Voluntary trust fund 31. The voluntary trust fund to enhance the participation of members of the Finance Committee and the Legal and Technical Commission from developing countries was established in 2002. Prior to the establishment of the fund, attendance at meetings of the two bodies by members from developing countries had been generally poor, ostensibly for financial reasons. That situation has improved since the fund was established. The fund is made up of voluntary contributions from members of the Authority and others. Over the life of the fund, contributions totalling $108,318 have been received into the fund. The most recent contribution, in 2009, was from China ($20,000). 32. Provisional terms and conditions for the use of the fund were adopted by the Assembly, on the recommendation of the Finance Committee, in 2003 and amended in 2004 (see ISBA/9/A/9, para. 14; and ISBA/9/A/5‐ISBA/9/C/5). 33. In 2003, to supplement the voluntary contributions, the Assembly, on the recommendation of the Finance Committee, authorized an advance of $75,000 to be paid into the fund from the interest from the fund for application fees paid by former registered pioneer investors (see ISBA/9/A/5‐ISBA/9/C/5). At the eleventh session, the Assembly, on the recommendation of the Finance Committee, authorized the Secretary‐ General to advance, to the extent necessary, a further $60,000 from the same source (see ISBA/11/A/8). Subsequently, at the fourteenth session, following the transfer of the balance remaining in the pioneer fund to the International Seabed Authority Endowment Fund, the Assembly, on the recommendation of the Finance Committee, authorized the Secretary‐General to advance, to the extent necessary, a further $60,000 6
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