Legal Committee, 103rd session, 8-10 June (closing remarks)

CLOSING REMARKS OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AT THE END OF THE 103rd SESSION OF
THE LEGAL COMMITTEE

(Friday, 10 June 2016)

Mr. Chairman, distinguished delegates and observers,

First of all, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to all distinguished delegates for their very hard work, enthusiasm and patience.

With your indulgence, I wish to offer a few observations at the end of yet another successful session of the Legal Committee.

At the beginning of this week we welcomed the graduates of the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI). Many of you in this room are IMLI graduates and we are constantly reminded that the Institute continues to be an international centre for the training of specialists in maritime law, the development and dissemination of knowledge and expertise in the international regime of merchant shipping, related areas of maritime law and the general law of the sea. I am very grateful to the Director of IMLI for his excellent leadership.

You had a number of important issues on your agenda this week, and you should feel satisfied with the progress made on all of them:

• facilitation of the entry into force and harmonized interpretation of the HNS Protocol, 2010;

• fair treatment of seafarers;

• advice and guidance on issues brought to the Legal Committee in connection with the implementation of IMO instruments, in particular the 1992 CLC and 2010 HNS Convention; and

On the HNS issue, I am pleased that the Committee decided to extend the mandate of the Correspondence Group with some robust terms of reference and expressed an appetite to work further on this issue at the next sessions.  As I said at the beginning of the week, what is encouraged now is a firm policy to prepare for ratification and national implementation of the 2010 HNS Convention by action of all Member States to bring this instrument into force.

I am delighted that the Committee has decided to establish an intersessional correspondence group with the aim to develop an Assembly resolution on the delegation of the authority to issue insurance certificates under the CLC and the HNS Convention. The resolution should ensure certainty in respect of the interpretation of these two instruments and provide clarity requested by States Parties.

With regards to the fair treatment of seafarers I welcome the offer by the ITF to organize regional and national workshops on the implementation of the Guidelines on fair treatment of seafarers in the event of a maritime accident and the positive outcome of the discussion in this respect.

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In concluding, I thank and congratulate all of you for your contributions during this session. I am sure you will agree that a special tribute is due to your Chairman, Dr. Kofi Mbiah of Ghana for the outstanding leadership in delivering to the high standards expected from this Organization and thank you Mr. Chairman for your dedication to this Committee and agreeing to stay one more year at its service.

Sincere thanks are also due to the Committee’s outgoing Vice-Chairman, Mr. Walter de Sá Leitão of Brazil for his commitment. I would like to thank him for his commitment to the work of the Legal Committee. I wish you all the best for the future and looking forward to seeing you again.

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Before I close my statement, I wish to thank those delegates for whom this has been their last LEG session and whose contributions to the work of the Committee and the Organization have been appreciated by all concerned. I am sure you all join me in wishing them well for the future.

Our farewell and good wishes are also extended to two directors of the IMO Secretariat who will be retiring later this year, Mrs. Olga O'Neil, Director of the Conference Division and Mr. Jo Espinoza-Ferrey, Director of the Administrative Division.

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Last but not least, I cannot forget to mention my appreciation of the efforts of all the staff in the Legal Division led by Mr. Fred Kenney, and those of our colleagues in the Conference Division – involving the Documents Control and Production Section, Meeting Services, the Translation Sections, and the Terminology and Reference Section. And, of course, the hard-working interpreters, whose skills to facilitate our communicating effectively never cease to amaze.

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Distinguished delegates, I wish you all a safe journey back home and look forward to seeing you next year at the 104th session of the Committee.

Thank you.
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