India elected to IMO council for a 2-year term
02 Dec 2017
India has been elected to one of the councils of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for the next two years. India polled the second highest votes in Friday's voting to Category-B in the IMO council securing 144 votes of member countries. Germany scored the maximum of 146 votes.
This for the first time voting was held for Category-B in the IMO council since its inception. Earlier all 10 members were elected unanimously. India has been a member since 1959.
Category-A group has 10 nations with the largest interest in providing international shipping services, which include China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Norway, Panama, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and United States.
Category-B, which has 10 nations with the largest interest in international seaborne trade, includes Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates.
In Category-C, there are 20 nations that 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. These include Bahamas, Belgium, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey.
The Council is the executive organ of IMO and is responsible, under the assembly, for supervising the work of the organisation. Between sessions of the Assembly, the Council performs all the functions of the Assembly, except that of making recommendations to governments on maritime safety and pollution prevention.
The newly elected council will meet after the conclusion of the 30th Assembly, for its 119th session (on 7 December) and will elect its chair and vice-chair for the next biennium.
"India enters the IMO Council under category B having won 144 votes, the second highest in the category. A proud moment for the country," the Indian High Commission in UK tweeted soon after the results were out.
Shipping minister Nitin Gadkari had parked himself in London to address IMOs annual session and raise support during the election. IMO is UN's specialised agency for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.
Till now Bangladesh and Argentina were members in this category.
The 30th Assembly of the IMO is meeting in London at IMO headquarters from 27 November to 6 December 2017. All 172 member states and three associate members are entitled to attend the assembly, which is IMO's highest governing body. The intergovernmental organisations with which agreements of co-operation have been concluded and international non-governmental organisations in consultative status with IMO are also invited to attend.
The Assembly normally meets once every two years in regular session. It is responsible for approving the work programme, voting the budget and determining the financial arrangements of the Organization. It also elects the organization's 40-member council.
