Deputy Minister of Transport, Lisa Mangcu, is leading the South African delegation on a lobbying mission for International Maritime Organization IMO Council membership.
“The election of South Africa to the body will strengthen Africa’s position and will ensure the representation of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) sub-region on the Council,” the Ministry of Transport said on Monday.
The Deputy Minister started his campaign with South Africa’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland by hosting a dinner for the members of the diplomatic community accredited to the Court of St James.
The dinner will be hosted at the South Africa House where the Deputy Minister will deliver a key lobby statement motivating strongly for the support of the diplomatic community for South Africa’s candidature.
The Deputy Minister is already attending the 129TH Session of International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council taking place at the headquarters of the IMO from Monday until Friday.
“The significance of this session of the IMO Council is the election, later in the week, of the Secretary General who will succeed the current incumbent Kitak Lim whose term will end by the end of 2023.
“Also significant in this regard is that for the first time in the history of the IMO, three of the contestants for the post of Secretary General are women, one of whom is Ambassador Nancy Karigithu of Kenya,” the Ministry of Transport said.
The attendance and participation of Deputy Minister in the Council is to strengthen Africa’s influence and support during the consideration of the IMO’s Strategic Plan for the 2024 to 2029 period as well as during the elections of the future Secretary General.
“South Africa as a member state of the IMO has previously served on the IMO Council and will further contest a Council seat under category C of the IMO Council taking place later in the year. The IMO Council is the highest decision-making body in between the Assembly of the International Maritime Organisation,” the Ministry of Transport said.
South Africa has a long-standing relationship of cooperation as a member of IMO after its re-admission to the UN System in 1995. The country has continued to actively maintain its cooperative relationship with the organisation and its members beyond this period. – SAnews.gov.za
