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NO. 1785

The Hon. Censu Galea, Minister for Competitiveness and Communications addresses the 25^th General Assembly of the International Maritime Organisation - London

The Hon. Censu Galea, Minister for Competitiveness and Communications is currently attending the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 25th general assembly in London which is discussing its strategies and plans for the coming years. The assembly will review and pass the financial budgets for 2008-2009, debate and pass the strategies for the 2008-2013 years and action plans for 2008-2009 biennium years. The assembly will also review the progress on Voluntary IMO Member State Audit Scheme as well as reports and recommendations of various committees including maritime safety committee, legal committee, environment protection committee, technical committee and facilitation committee.

The Minister addressed the plenary session of the assembly, during which he said that “Over these last five decades, IMO has worked relentlessly and effectively in pursuit of safer and more secure shipping and, cleaner oceans. I would also recall that the late Arvid Pardo, Malta’s Ambassador to the United Nations, forty years ago, had proposed the idea that these are to be considered as the common heritage of mankind.”

Minister Galea continued that “The Maltese government reiterates its continuing support for the work of this Organisation, and in particular, even if not only, we reiterate our commitment to the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea, REMPEC, and the IMO International Maritime Law Institute, IMLI, two IMO institutions which embody key elements that Malta considers vital: Implementation, Technical Cooperation and, Training.

The success of the work of this Organisation cannot continue to be linked to the number of international instruments adopted and treaties brought into force even if these are indeed most important. Real effectiveness is measured by the level of implementation of international maritime law and adoption of the laid down standards. Once again it is implementation, technical cooperation and training that ensure the rule of maritime law.

Malta, an island State in the centre of the Mediterranean, astride the main arteries of shipping, depends on the sea for its survival. We thus have an interest, a great interest, in ensuring that shipping remains efficient and economically viable and environmentally friendly and that our seas remain safe and free. The attainment of these objectives is the basis of our policy.

Minister Galea made particular emphasis on the safety of life at sea and the security of shipping, which he stressed that both cannot be tackled by IMO alone as they are multi agency issues. These two problems must be addressed at the root and therefore inter agency and inter government cooperation is essential.

In conclusion, Minister Censu Galea said that “Shipping is a global industry. What happens in the polar or equatorial regions or, the state of the seas in between is of universal concern. It is our belief that issues must not be tackled on a regional basis and certainly not unilaterally. This is why we are member States of the International Maritime Organisation. This is why we are convened here today, and in the coming two weeks. This is the main reason why the technocrats and the experts shall regularly meet in the coming two years; in order to tackle issues collectively and to find international solutions. This is the real meaning of technical cooperation, of being true members of an international organisation. This is the firm belief of the Maltese government and, yet, another essential element of our policy. Yet again I repeat, implementation, technical cooperation and training ensure the rule of maritime law.”

DOI – 21.11.2007

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