01 December 2017, London - The Philippines was re-elected to the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) under Category C at elections held on Friday during the 30th Session of the IMO Assembly (A30), 27 November to 06 December 2017, at the IMO Headquarters in London.
The Philippines placed number 13 in the 20 seat Category C representing the IMO Member States which have special interests in maritime transport or navigation. There were 24 candidates for the 20-seat Category C.
Permanent Representative to IMO, Gilberto Asuque, member of the Philippine Delegation to A30, stated that: “The election of the Philippines in the Council could be seen as global support for its work in the IMO towards promoting the interest, safety and welfare of seafarers through safer ships. The Philippine is a major source-country of seafarers for the global maritime fleet providing some 30% of the total manpower complement of commercial ships on international routes. Our advocacy for seafarers has been the fundament purpose for Philippine participation in the work of the IMO pursuant to the foreign policy of promoting the interest of the overseas Filipino workers.”
In the statement delivered at A30 before the elections, Dr. Marcial Q.C. Amaro III, Ph.D, Administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority and member of the Philippine Delegation to A30, said the Philippine candidature to the Council is predicated on three very simple concepts:
“1. Our candidature is a testament of our commitment to WORK with the IMO and all of you, the Member States, in achieving the goals of making safer ships that traverse secure and cleaner oceans and preserve the sustainability of the fragile marine environment.
“2. Our candidature to the Council is founded on a desire to serve, in the same manner that our seafarers have continued to serve and man ships all over the world, and in an equal manner that the Philippines has served as the fourth largest shipbuilding nation.
“3. Our candidature seeks to lend our expertise and support in achieving UN Goals—the millennium development goals and now the new 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, not just on reducing the impacts of climate change and the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources, but more importantly in achieving the other goals of gender equality and partnering with institutions and engaging with others in achieving all the UN goals.”
The Council is the Executive Organ of IMO and is responsible, under the Assembly, for supervising the work of the Organization. Between sessions of the Assembly the Council performs all the functions of the Assembly, except the function of making recommendations to Governments on maritime safety and pollution prevention which is reserved for the Assembly by Article 15(j) of the Convention.
Among the other functions of the Council are to consider the draft work program and budget estimates of the Organization for submission to the Assembly; receive reports and proposals of the Committees and other organs for submission to the Assembly and Member States, with comments and recommendations; and appoint the Secretary-General, subject to the approval of the Assembly.
The elected members of the Council for the 2018-2019 biennium are:
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 other States with the largest interest in international seaborne trade: Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, United Arab Emirates.
Category (c): 20 States not elected under (a) or (b) above which 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:
Bahamas, Belgium, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey.