The Secretariat of the Pacific Community has been granted observer status at the International Seabed Authority.
The Authority regulates deep sea mining with the aim of ensuring the marine environment is protected from any harmful effects from mining exploration and exploitation.
At the Authority's meeting in Jamaica this month the Secretariat of the Pacific Community was granted the status in place of the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission which does not exist anymore.
In a letter to the assembly the Community's director, Colin Tukuitonga says that given the many developments in the Pacific's deep sea minerals sector, it is necessary to formalise the Community's status as an observer.
