London – Liberia has made an impassioned case for it reelection to the Council of the International Maritime Organization, at its 30th regular assembly currently convening in London.
The plea was made in Liberia’s principal statement read on behalf of Maritime Commissioner Dr. James Kollie by Liberia’s Permanent Representative to the IMO, Ambassador Isaac W. Jackson, Jr.
Liberia has served as a Category C member of the International Maritime Council since 2012.
The council is the executive organ of IMO that takes decision in the absence of Assembly, and coordinate all activities of the Organs of the organization.
The statement recalled Liberia’s position as the world’s major flag states with more than 150 million gross registered tons, including its “rich history in facilitating the international maritime industry through a favorable framework within which ship-owners compete in global trade and commerce.”
According to Dr. Kollie, Liberia has consistently played both far-reaching and pivotal roles in regulating the public dimension of uniform global maritime transport standards.
He said this has been shown further with Liberia’s capable diplomatic and professional representation at all levels of the IMO, including through the recent election of Liberia’s Alternate Permanent Representative, Harry Conway, as Vice Chair of the Marine Environment Protection Committee for 2018.
Dr. Kollie said despite the miraculous “recovery from the ashes of war,” to a posture of “ensuring a respectable place among the comity of nations,” Liberia is among the few countries that have paid its due to the IMO in full.
He said Liberia’s commitment to the founding objectives of the IMO remains on course, as reflected through it consistent ratification of all major IMO Conventions and ensuring effective implementation of these instruments both nationally and internationally.
He then cited the wellbeing of sea farers, and reminded the conference of Liberia’s principal role in ratifying the International Labour Organization, Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006, better known as the “fourth pillar” of the international regulatory regime for quality shipping, which complements the key Conventions of the IMO, and provides comprehensive rights and protection at work for the world’s more than 1.2 million seafarers.
Liberia is represented at the 30th Assembly of the IMO by: H.E. Elias Shoniyin, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Head of Delegation, H.E. Ibrahim K. Nyei, Ambassador-at- Large & Chargè D’Affairs, Embassy of Liberia to the Court of St. James, United Kingdom; Dr, James F. Kollie, Jr, Commissioner & CEO, Liberia Maritime Authority; Atty. Isaac W. Jackson, Jr. Permanent Representative to IMO; Mr Harry T. Conway, Alternate Permanent Representative to IMO; Hon. F. Jauh Lawson, Chairlady, Board of Directors; Mr. Joseph Boakai, Jr. Principal Director Liberia Maritime Authority; Atty. Nya S. Gbaintor, Director of Administration, Liberia Maritime Authority; Mr. Albert K. Jaja, Minister Counsellor for Press and Public affairs, and Dr. Gustav Barnard ,Senior Advisor, Liberian Permanent Mission to IMO as well as Mr. Elan Cohan, Co-Chair, Liberia International Ship and Corporate Registry (LISCR); Capt. David Pascoe, Senior Vice President(LISCR), Mr. Gerard Kenny, Technical Manager, LISCR (UK) Limited and Mr. Kostas Ladas, General Manager, LISCR (UK) Limited.