Council, 132nd session (C 132) - Opening remarks

ADDRESS OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AT THE OPENING OF THE 132ND SESSION OF THE COUNCIL (C 132), 8 to 12 July 2024

Delivered by IMO Secretary-General Mr. Arsenio Dominguez on 8 July 2024

Good morning distinguished delegates, 

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this 132nd session of the Council, my first as Secretary-General. 

I wish to begin by thanking you for your tremendous support during the first six months of my tenure.

I now turn to the situation in the Red Sea, the IMO family knows more than most that the global economy depends on international shipping and seafarers. Seafarers who are just trying to earn a living as we all are should not be the subject of any type of attacks.

The unacceptable targeting and attacks on seafarers by Houthis must cease. I wish to take this opportunity to reiterate our unanimous condemnation of these attacks. In particular, I would like to highlight, the adoption by MSC 108 of resolution MSC.564 (108) on the security situation in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden resulting from the Houthi Attack on commercial ships and seafarers.

Delegates may also be aware that on 27 June 2024, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2739 (2024) which “reiterates its demand that the Houthis immediately cease all attacks against merchant and commercial vessels and immediately release the MV Galaxy Leader and its crew”.

I also reiterate my call for the immediate and unconditional release of the MV Galaxy Leader and its crew; it has been far too long!

We all recognized how worrying this situation is but I would respectfully invite you to make your statements on this subject under agenda item 12 when considering the report of the Maritime Safety Committee. 

With regards to the main items you will be discussing this week, as I mentioned to you from the beginning, I embrace change, particularly, when it leads us to achieve our common objectives. I have, and will continue, to seek improvements and efficiencies within the Organization and beyond, particularly, in our support to you, the Member States, and all stakeholders. 

You will notice that, from the revised agenda to the recommendations and suggestions in the documents in front of you, my aim is to further strengthen the role and position of IMO and stimulate discussions towards these goals.

Let me start by highlighting our enhanced focus on multilingualism which is evident through both the Chair and myself speaking Spanish throughout the session, as well as our ongoing efforts to provide more documents and information to you in multiple official languages. A latest example being our trial to translate all WP annexes into the working languages. I am looking forward to your valued comments and suggestions on the Strategic Framework for Multilingualism.

My continued efforts on the modernization and transparency of IMO, with subjects relating to the reform of the Council, hybrid meetings, livestreaming, as well as the access to IMO Council documents for the public.

And of course, our push towards enhanced data management and an upgrade of GISIS, amongst other things, which we will commence in September 2024. I invite you all to actively participate in the review, providing invaluable input from the user perspective. 

I will continue to seek efficiencies, from restructuring, best use of our financial assets, recruitment and the building facilities, to name a few, while I invest in those who make all these possible, the professional staff from the Secretariat.

I trust I can count on your support as we move forward with all the important topics on our agenda we have for consideration this week.

I am confident that the Council will make significant progress under the leadership of your Chair, Mr. Victor Jimenez Fernandez of Spain, and your Vice-Chair, Mrs. Amane Fethallah of Morocco. I have no doubt that you will achieve great success in your deliberations, and you can count on the full support from the Secretariat.

Thank you very much Chair.

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