Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has called for increased representation of the continent on the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) council and its secretariat.
Peterside who made the appeal when he led a delegation of some members of AAMA Executive Committee to meet with the IMO Secretary General, Mr. Kitack Lim, at the organisation’s headquarters in London, said there was need for Africa’s proportionate representation to commensurate with the size of the continent’s membership of IMO.
According to AAMA Chairman, African nations at the council of IMO is disproportionate to the size of the continent’s representation at the global maritime body.
“You will agree with me that the number of African nations at the council of IMO is disproportionate to the size of the continent’s representation at the global maritime body. Therefore, to drive Africa’s maritime sector development agenda, there is need for a proportionate and effective representation of the continent in council and at the secretariat,” he said.
Peterside noted the various initiatives embarked upon by AAMA leadership including cooperation by the member nations in capacity building to impact on the continent’s maritime sector.
While commending IMO for the technical support so far extended to members on the African continent, Dakuku solicited a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IMO and AAMA to have an integrated position, adding that this would aid a lot of African countries needing technical support.
In his remarks, the IMO Secretary General, Mr. Kitack Lim, commended the African maritime administrations for their high level organisation and a proactive leadership of AAMA with a drive towards ensuring that Africa maritime sector remains viable.
He urged African nations to continue working closely to remain a formidable block that would be of influence in decision-making at IMO.