Liberia Calls for Greater Geographical Balance and Inclusive Recruitment at IMO

London, United Kingdom – Liberia’s Maritime Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Liberia Maritime Authority (LMA), Cllr. Neto Zarzar Lighe, Sr., has called for greater geographical balance, fairness, and inclusivity in the recruitment and staffing structure of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Speaking during the ongoing 138th Session of the IMO Council in London, Commissioner Lighe presented Liberia’s official position on the Organization’s latest human resources update and staff data, expressing concern over the persistent underrepresentation of Africa and other developing regions within the IMO Secretariat.

Echoing concerns raised by several African and developing Member States, Commissioner Lighe emphasized that the longstanding geographical imbalance within the Organization remains unresolved and requires more deliberate and practical interventions.

He highlighted that despite Africa being the largest bloc and continues to effect significant participation in international maritime affairs, the continent accounts for only 5% of the IMO’s workforce, while Arab States account for approximately 4%, with other developing regions similarly underrepresented. And the European region accounts for about 45% of the total employment of the IMO thus enforcing the question of balance and equity in the organization workforce.

Commissioner Lighe further raised concerns about existing recruitment practices, particularly the processes through which vacancies are advertised and opportunities communicated to prospective candidates across Member States.

He stressed the importance of ensuring that competent and qualified professionals from Africa and other developing regions have equitable access to employment opportunities within the Organization.

While acknowledging and commending the IMO Secretariat for its ongoing efforts to improve geographical representation, Commissioner Lighe urged the Organization to adopt more proactive and targeted recruitment strategies.

“Liberia encourages the Secretariat to consider targeted recruitment missions and other talent outreach activities to ensure broader inclusion and participation within the Organization’s structure,” Commissioner Lighe stated.

Liberia maintains that a truly global maritime organization must reflect the geographical diversity of its membership, not only in policy formulation and decision-making but also in its institutional workforce.

The Liberian delegation reaffirmed its commitment to promoting fairness, inclusivity, equitable representation, and institutional reforms that strengthen the IMO’s legitimacy and effectiveness as the United Nations specialized agency responsible for international shipping.