Events

MINSK, 30 November (BelTA) – The Belarusian delegation is taking part in the Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the first time, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The 30^th IMO Assembly is taking place in London from 27 November to 6 December. The Belarusian delegation is led by Belarus’ Permanent Representative to IMO, Belarus’ Ambassador to the UK Sergei Aleinik. The delegation has also comprised representatives of the Transport and Communications Ministry.

In his speech at the plenary session Sergei Aleinik emphasized Belarus’ readiness to take an active part in the work of the organization, including the use of its potential for the development of commercial navigation with the participation of Belarusian freighters and carriers. The ambassador also stressed the country’s interest in developing cooperation with IMO in strengthening the potential of the national maritime administration, which is the Belarusian Transport Ministry.

On the sidelines of the Assembly the Belarusian delegation held a number of bilateral meetings with representatives of the IMO Secretariat and other member states. The parties shared opinions on the current agenda of the organization and outlined promising areas for bilateral cooperation.

IMO – the International Maritime Organization – is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships. In 1948 an international conference in Geneva adopted a convention formally establishing IMO (the original name was the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization, or IMCO, but the name was changed in 1982 to IMO). IMO comprises 172 states.

The Assembly is the main organ of IMO, which considers the most important issues within the competence of this international organization. The Assembly meets once in two years.

Belarus joined the International Maritime Organization on 29 November 2016.