Pretoria – Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga on Monday launched South Africa’s campaign for candidature and re-election into the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council for 2024-2025.
The IMO is a United Nations specialised agency and its mission is to develop and adopt international standards which seek to promote safe, secure, environmentally sound, efficient, and sustainable shipping through cooperation.
Minister Chikunga, jointly with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation and other key departments and partners, hosted more than 100 foreign mission-based Ambassadors in Pretoria to garner support for South Africa’s candidature into the IMO Council.
Transport Department spokesperson, Collen Msibi, said in a statement that, IMO has 174 member states and three associate member States and is made up of various organs including the assembly council and five main committees and subcommittees that support the work of the technical committees.
The IMO Council membership is elected based on Categories A, B and C of the IMO Convention.
Category A provide for the election of 10 members from States with the largest interest in providing international services;
Category B provides for the election of 10 members from other States with the largest interest in international seaborne trade; and
Category C provides for the election of 20 States not elected under (a) or (b) which have a special interest in maritime transport or navigation and whose election to the Council will ensure the representation of all major geographic areas of the world.
South Africa is contesting for re-election to the Council under Category C of the IMO Convention.
The re-election of South Africa will ensure the continued representation of the Southern African Developing Community sub-region.
South Africa is the only SADC member country contesting the election.
IMO Council elections will be held during the 33rd Regular Session of the Assembly in November.
Joining Minister Chikunga among other dignitaries for this critical lobby for South Africa will be Transport Deputy Minister Lisa Mangcu, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in South Africa Ambassador Salih Omar Abdu, and the Dean of African Heads of Mission in South Africa Ambassador Andre Nzapayeke.
