Jamaica elected to IMO council and UNESCO World Heritage Committee

Jamaica is the latest country among 24 nominees to have been elected to the council of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as a Category 'C' member for a period of two years.

This comes on the heels of the island's successful election to the World Heritage Committee (WHC) of UNESCO, for the period 2023-2027.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, said Jamaica's successful election represents the culmination of sustained lobby efforts by the foreign ministry, including its network of overseas missions coupled with the support of the respective ministries, departments and agencies.

“We warmly welcome this achievement, which underscores Jamaica's active and respected role on the international stage. This accomplishment also signals the effectiveness of our diplomatic efforts which is reflected in the robust support we have garnered. It also highlights this Government's unwavering dedication to fostering international collaboration by actively contributing to the formulation of policies that shape our interconnected world,” said Minister Johnson Smith.

“Membership on international bodies like these therefore remains a key component of Jamaica's national development thrust, considering they provide the opportunity for leadership on critical issues of national interest within the global community.”

Johnson Smith also lauded the dedicated work of the Candidature Steering Committee comprising representatives of the foreign ministry, the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ) and the Ministry of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport. She also acknowledged the resounding support from colleague Minister Daryl Vaz, who led Jamaica's delegation to the 33rd Assembly of the IMO in London, alongside Corah Ann Robertson-Sylvester, chairperson of the MAJ.

As the largest English-speaking Island State in the Caribbean, Jamaica has had a long history of involvement in maritime affairs, including shipping, which has played an integral role in the socio-economic development of the country.

Jamaica's continued membership in Category 'C' of the IMO council will aid in sustaining and improving both the country's and the region's capacity to contribute to major policy decisions, rule-making and the development of standards at the international level.

Jamaica has been a member of the IMO since 1976. Late last month, Alexander Williams, High Commissioner for Jamaica to the United Kingdom, presented his Letters of Credentials to the IMO Secretary General, becoming Jamaica's first formally accredited Permanent Representative to the body.

PRESERVING CULTURAL HERITAGE

In relation to the World Heritage Committee, Jamaica has focused its attention on the mandate of UNESCO through its involvement in several conventions and programmes, consistently being a leading voice at the local, regional and international levels.

“Securing a second term on the World Heritage Committee underscores Jamaica's deep commitment to the preservation of cultural heritage. The inscription of the Blue and John Crow Mountains in 2015 on the World Heritage List, unique in the Caribbean as a mixed World Heritage property, stands as a clear testament to our dedication. Jamaica is firmly devoted to the committee's mission, upholding its core objectives, principles and goals, and we continue to actively champion the ideals and objectives of the World Heritage Convention,” added Minister Johnson Smith.

Since the start of the 2023-2024 fiscal year, Jamaica presented eight candidatures for international organisations and was successful in all, including the Administrative Tribunal of the Organization of American States (OAS); the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD); the executive board of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Office for Projects Services; as well as the executive council of the UN World Tourism Organization.

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