IMO Assembly elects new 40-Member Council

The Assembly of the International Maritime Organization has elected the following States to be Members of its Council for the 2010-2011 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, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden.

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:

Australia, Bahamas, Belgium, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Nigeria, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey.

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 that of making recommendations to Governments on maritime safety and pollution prevention.

The 26th session of the IMO Assembly is being held at IMO Headquarters, London, from 23 November to 4 December 2009.

Background

The Assembly is IMO’s governing body. All 169 Member States and three Associate Members are entitled to attend, as are the intergovernmental organizations with which agreements of co‑operation have been concluded, and non-governmental organizations in consultative status with IMO.  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 Council.