Kingston: The Journalists for Responsible Fisheries and Environment (JRFE) is urging African governments to support the global push for a ban or moratorium on deep-sea mining at the ongoing International Seabed Authority meeting in Jamaica.
According to Ghana News Agency, the group warned that deep-sea mining poses significant threats to abyssal ecosystems and could cause irreversible harm to fragile habitats and rare species that have taken millions of years to evolve.
In a statement issued by Mr Charles Smith, Co-Founder and Partnerships Manager at JRFE, the group emphasized that the practice also risks depleting fish stocks by altering ocean currents and disrupting the seafloor, further compounding the challenges faced by Africa's already declining fisheries sector.
Mr Smith stated that deep-sea mining, which involves extracting minerals like cobalt, nickel, and polymetallic nodules from ocean depths of 4,000 to 6,000 meters, must not advance without thorough research, strong legislation, and global cooperation.
He noted with concern that while 37 countries have backed a moratorium, none are African, despite research from the ISA in 2020 showing that eight of the 13 African nations surveyed would be severely impacted. These include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Gabon, Mauritania, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
'This is a critical moment for Africa to assert its voice,' Mr Smith said. 'The consequences of deep-sea mining go beyond environmental harm. They touch on issues of economic justice, cultural heritage, and sovereign rights over shared global resources.'
Referencing Article 136 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, he stressed that the ocean floor beyond national jurisdiction is considered the 'Common Heritage of Mankind,' reinforcing the need for inclusive, benefit-sharing approaches to ocean resource management.
He also highlighted gaps in the African Union's Blue Economy strategy, noting the lack of a legal framework for regulating deep-sea mining (DSM) and weak representation in international regulatory forums.
This notion, according to him, had been reinforced by Article 136 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which characterized the ocean floor beyond national jurisdictions as the 'Common Heritage of Mankind.'
He further referenced the 1970 Declaration of Principles Governing the Seabed and Ocean Floor Beyond the Limits of National Jurisdiction (UNGA Resolution 2749), which articulates that exploration and exploitation must be conducted for the benefit of all countries, with consideration for developing nations.
'This vacuum opens the door to exploitation by foreign actors while marginalizing African nations,' Mr Smith added.
The ongoing ISA Assembly meeting, running from July 21-25, follows the July 7-18 Council meeting and is focused on developing a 'Mining Code' that will govern mineral extraction activities beyond national jurisdictions, including environmental safeguards and fair benefit distribution.
