04 Dec 2019
Kenya Re-Elected
Assembly elects Kenya to IMO Council
Kenya has been re-elected into the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council under Category (c) for the biennium 2020-2021 by the IMO Assembly during the 31st Regular Session of the IMO General Assembly on 29th November, 2019 at the IMO Headquarters in London, United Kingdom. Category (c) consists of 20 States not elected under Category (a) or (b), who have special interests in maritime transport or navigation and whose election to the Council will ensure the representation of all major geographic areas of the world. Kenya was elected to the IMO Council Category(c) together with Bahamas, Belgium, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kuwait, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, and Turkey. The Assembly of the IMO also elected the following States to be Members of its Council for the 2020-2021 biennium:
Category (a) 10 States with the largest interest in providing international shipping services:
China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Norway, Panama, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, United States.
Category (b) 10 States with the largest interest in international seaborne trade:
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Netherlands, Spain and the United Arab Emirates.
“ We are hugely delighted to be tested in this way and to be found meriting of the confidence of our peers. We will continue to devote our time, efforts and resources in the development of the safety and security of shipping and the sustainable growth of the Maritime sector,” said
Dr. Nancy Karigithu, Principal Secretary, Shipping and Maritime, after the announcement of the official election results. Dr. Nancy Karigithu was the Head of the Kenyan Delegation which consisted of the Kenyan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, H. E, Manoa Esipisu, the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) Board Chairperson, Geoffrey Mwango, the Director General, Kenya Maritime Authority, Maj (Rtd) George Nyamoko Okon’go.
As a member of the IMO Council, Kenya will be part of the Executive Organ of IMO and will be responsible together with other elected Member Countries, under the Assembly, for supervising the work of the IMO. As a member of the Council, Kenya will perform the following functions together with other elected members of the Council:
(a) coordinate the activities of the organs of the IMO;
(b) consider the draft work programmes and budget estimates of the IMO and submit them to the Assembly;
(c) receive reports and proposals of the Committees and other organs and submit them to the Assembly and Member States, with comments and recommendations as appropriate;
(d) take part in the election of the Secretary-General, subject to the approval of the Assembly;
(e) enter into agreements or arrangements concerning the relationship of the Organization with other organizations, subject to approval by the Assembly.
As a member of the Council, Kenya will also continue to support IMO’s initiatives.
Kenya’s re-election to the IMO Council comes at an opportune time when the Government has reinforced its efforts to progress the country’s Blue economy and maritime sector. Kenya’s re-election to the IMO Council will be of benefit to not only the region but also to the wider international maritime community. Her re-election to the Council under Category ‘c’ will serve the interests of the Eastern and Central Africa sub-region, Horn of Africa and West Indian Ocean and the international maritime community in general. Her continuous re-election to the Council since 2001 has provided a solid voice at the IMO for Eastern Africa and the Great Lakes region consisting of the following countries: Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, as well as the Horn of Africa Region and the island states of the Western Indian Ocean.
Enclosure: Kenya’s campaign statement to IMO member states
Statement by Head of Delegation PS State Department for shipping and Maritime
Download Link : http://kenyaforimo.kma.go.ke/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/STATEMENT-BY-kenyan-HEAD-OF-DELEGATION-.pdf