At last week’s session of the Technical Co-Operation Committee (TC 63) of the IMO, it was inter alia debated how the technical transfer of knowledge and best practices to developing countries can improve maritime relations worldwide.
At the meeting, the IMO technical co-operation programme covering the period 2014-2015 was debated. There was general agreement that co-operation and technical assistance are crucial for implementing the IMO objectives in all countries, including especially in the least developed countries.
It was also stressed that, in the future, it is important that the technical assistance programmes are to an even greater extent targeted. Consequently, it was decided that all member States are to fill in a so-called maritime country profile identifying where each individual country has a special need for assistance.
The IMO Secretariat also thanked Denmark for its contribution of a little more than DKK 3 million donated for the IMO Djibouti Code of Conduct Trust Fund. The Fund was established in 2009 to the strengthen efforts made to combat piracy on the east coast of Africa.
Finally, the 30th anniversary of the World Maritime University (WMU) was celebrated with guest talks by, inter alia, Secretary General Emeritus Mitropoulos, Secretary General Emeritus O’Neil and President of the WMU Björn Kjerfve. In addition, the Danish Ambassador to the United Kingdom Anne Hedensted Steffensen and former students and employees at the WMU were among the participants.
DMA, July 17, 2013