Baltic and European news
IMO Briefing 28/2008
17 June 2008
Council 100th session: 16-20 June 2008
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon opens week of celebrations at IMO
United Nations Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon spoke today (16 June 2008) at a special ceremony to open a week of celebrations and events marking a number of major milestones in the history of IMO. IMO's host Government, that of the United Kingdom, was represented at the ceremony by two ministers, the Secretary of State for Transport, The Rt. Hon. Mrs. Ruth Kelly MP, and the Minister with responsibility for shipping, Mr. Jim Fitzpatrick MP.
In addition to hosting the 100th session of the IMO Council, the week of 16-20 June sees IMO inaugurate its newly-refurbished Headquarters building, commemorate 60 years since the adoption of the IMO Convention and 50 years since that Convention entered into force, as well as mark the 25th and 20th anniversaries, respectively, of its training centres, the World Maritime University and the IMO International Maritime Law Institute.
Addressing the IMO Council and staff, Mr. Ban said: "When the IMO was first established, it filled a crying need for international standards to regulate shipping. And, in the fifty years since then, this Organization has broadened its activities to keep pace with emerging global demands."
Referring to the Organization's recent focus on environmental concerns, Mr. Ban praised IMO's efforts and reiterated how crucial it is that all concerned rise to meet the challenge posed by the threat of climate change. "IMO has carried out laudable work to deal with pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships," he said, "but it is clear that more needs to be done. We need strong policies and, at the same time, it is essential to help developing countries implement such measures. I have confidence that the IMO will play its part in this global campaign to address the problem of climate change."
Regarding IMO's place within the UN family and its contribution to the system's delivery of mandates as 'one United Nations', Mr. Ban said "You already have a solid track record of working closely with other partners in the UN family to tackle a range of complex issues. The IMO is not only working with partners to address environmental and security concerns - it is also supporting sustainable development, including efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals, our set of targets for addressing a range of social ills by the year 2015. Trade is critical to poverty eradication. Even in today's high-tech world, where we send information electronically in seconds, shipping remains one of the world's most international industries, serving more than 90 per cent of global trade. It provides an important source of income and employment for many poor States. The IMO is assisting developing countries in building safe, secure and efficient shipping services while protecting their waters and coasts. Helping developing countries to boost their shipping, while preserving the environment, contributes to the prosperity of humanity as a whole. Here again we see how the IMO is central to our broader United Nations mission to achieve peace and progress."
He added, "Let me warmly congratulate this valuable Organization and its Members and staff on this milestone anniversary . and for their continued efforts and co-operation. I am looking to even more advances from you in the years to come."
Welcoming the UN Secretary-General to the refurbished IMO Headquarters, IMO Secretary-General, Mr. Efthimios E. Mitropoulos, said the week of special events provided an opportunity to pay tribute to the work of the Organization since its inception as a specialized agency of the United Nations; as an institution serving the common public good; and as the regulator and partner of an industry that carries the overwhelming volume of world trade, safely, securely and efficiently and in an environmentally-friendly manner.
Addressing the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Mitropoulos said "Although you have been at the helm of the UN for less than a year and a half, your dedicated efforts to promote the United Nations as the ultimate mediator for, and promoter of, peace, equality, human rights and the development of the less privileged are witnessed and appreciated by one and all. You are quietly stamping your authority on the international political arena, while, at the same time, your inspired initiatives in the aftermath of the cyclone in Myanmar and earthquake in China help the world see the humanitarian face of the UN at its best."
Mr. Mitropoulos thanked Mr. Ban for his personal concern with the issue of piracy off the coast of Somalia, and for his role in ensuring that the matter had been effectively dealt with by the Security Council, earlier in June.
Secretary-General Mitropoulos went on to say that shipping is perhaps the most international of all the world's global industries with its prime physical assets - the ships themselves - moving between countries and between different jurisdictions, making it imperative that they are governed by universal standards that can be applied to, and recognized, by all.
"That is why I believe that IMO's major achievement, and legacy, has been its undiminishing commitment to universality in the regulation of shipping and, as a consequence, its unwillingness to tailor its policies and decisions to prevailing moves, opinions and trends. It has consistently advocated, and successfully promoted, global standards without, however, turning its back on regional ones when convinced that certain regions' unique characteristics and conditions necessitated the adoption of some special measures over and above those applying in the rest of the world - as long as such regional measures were developed within, and promulgated or sanctioned by, this Organization," Mr. Mitropoulos said.
He continued "With shipping being a significant contributor to, and facilitator of, economic growth on a worldwide basis, the mission of IMO has evolved to one that reaches out far beyond the Organization's immediate constituency, touching the life of nearly everyone on the planet". Mr. Mitropoulos added that the Organization - Member States, observers and Secretariat - "are united, focused on our mission and determined to remain relevant."
Mr. Mitropoulos also thanked IMO's host Government. "May I", he said "convey our very sincere and profound thanks to our hosts, the Government of the United Kingdom, for all their support for this Organization over the years, not least in providing this wonderful, fully refurbished facility."
"The efforts of our hosts have been unstinting during the refurbishment process. Not only have they shouldered the lion's share - more than 90 per cent, in fact - of the financial burden of the venture, they have also overseen the entire project with diligence, care and great attention to detail. As a result, we now have, on time and to budget, a working environment that is not only pleasant and comfortable but also fit for purpose, with a level of amenity and of environmental impact that embraces the very latest standards and expectations of the 21st century. It is a delight to work here, as staff and delegates alike are constantly telling me, and as I can personally attest to," Mr. Mitropoulos said.
The United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Transport, the Right Honourable Mrs. Ruth Kelly MP, said "We are very proud of London's tradition as a maritime city. And we're proud that London is home to the IMO. As demand for seaborne trade continues to grow in the future, I believe London will consolidate its position as one of the world's pre-eminent shipping cities - and as a natural base for the IMO."
"Thanks to you, our seas are safer and less polluted today than at any time in living memory. But this week is not simply an exercise in nostalgia. As you settle into your new surroundings, this is also a time to look forward - to a changing maritime industry, and how it responds to changing patterns of demand," Mrs. Kelly said.
Mrs. Kelly concluded by pledging the United Kingdom's continuing support to IMO in the years ahead as the Organization works to make the seas cleaner and safer, and wished the Organization a happy future in its refurbished headquarters.
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