CM/RES 521 (XXVII)

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RESOLUTION ON THE INTERNATIONAL ZONE EXTENDING BEYOND NATIONAL JURISDICTION

The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity meeting in its Twenty- Seventh Ordinary Session at Port Louis, Mauritius, from 24 June to 3^rd July, 1976.

Having considered the interim report of the Administrative Secretary-General on the deliberations of the 3^rd United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea CM/762 (XXVII),

REAFFIRMS THAT:

1. The International zone extending beyond national jurisdictions and its resources are the common heritage of mankind and that its resources must be utilized in the interest of mankind as a whole with special regard to the interests and needs of developing countries;

2. The international zone, extending beyond national jurisdiction is one and indivisible and shall neither be divided into sectors nor reserved for a country or a group of countries, let alone private or public enterprises belonging to one or several States;

3. The international authority to be set up shall have the power to manage or administer directly the international zone and its resources and may whenever the need arises, sign contracts or set up mixed ventures with any natural or juridical persons;

4. Whatever the nature of the contract, the Authority must give special attention to strict planning so that the products of the sea-bed may be complementary in order to avoid at all costs competition against developing countries in general and African countries producers of minerals in particular, to the detriment of their export earnings;

5. In sharing the benefits resulting from the exploitation of the resources of the international zone consideration should be given to the needs of developing countries, in particular land-locked countries and the least developed among the developing countries;