Monrovia, Liberia – Arsenio Dominquez, the secretary general of the International Maritime Organization, received a NOTE VERBALE from Liberia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on December 5, 2024, announcing the nation’s intention to run for a council seat in 2025. In December 2024, at the 34th Regular Assembly session in London, Liberia announced its candidacy for re-election to a Category A seat on the IMO Council for the 2026–2027 biennium.
According to the essential provisions of Article l7(o) of the IMO Convention, Liberia’s continued eligibility for membership on the IMO’s Council relies on its long history of committed participation in the Organization’s efforts to maintain international shipping’s safety, security, and ability to prevent marine pollution.
As a result, it is anticipated that Liberia’s reelection to the IMO Council for the 2026–2027 term will greatly improve the Organization’s ability to carry out its constitutional mission, which calls for consistent and sustainable regulation of international maritime transport norms.
However, Liberia’s petition for a seat on the IMO Council for the 2026–2027 term has been acknowledged by the International Maritime Organization’s Secretary General.
IMO Secretary General His Excellency Arsenio Dominquez indicated in a letter to Liberia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the letter and related aide-memorandum will be distributed to member nations as part of the documents for the aforementioned assembly session.
“The Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization takes advantage of this opportunity to reaffirm his highest consideration to the Republic of Liberia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.” According to the communication.
The IMO Secretary General’s recognition of Liberia’s proposal has been warmly received by Ambassador Robert Kpadeh, Liberia’s Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization. Ambassador Robert Wilmot Kpadeh stated that Liberia, through the Liberia Maritime Authority, or LiMA, is prepared to launch an aggressive effort to hold onto its seat as a result of this recognition.
In order to gain the respect and confidence of other IMO member states, we have made sure that we are adequately and soundly represented at the organization, and we have positioned ourselves as a responsible leader in the global shipping industry. They thus don’t question our reelection. To keep our esteemed position as a Category A Council Member, we must, like other Council Members, put forth our best effort and fight for the necessary votes, Ambassador Kpadeh said.
Liberia is a highly powerful maritime nation, as demonstrated by its biggest ship registry, according to Ambassador Kpadeh. As such, the country would significantly benefit from serving on the council once more and would be positioned among the comity of nautical states globally.
Liberia is a very special nautical nation as it is a flag state, port state, and coastal state. Our program’s leadership is equally as important as having the largest ship registry. Because our program complies with all international maritime rules and regulations, it is respected in the global shipping industry. Kpadeh stated.
“We have the biggest fleet, and there are no dark fleets or fraudulent operations to be found. Liberia adheres to all rules set out by the International Maritime Organization in accordance with global conventions,” he said.
According to Ambassador Kpadeh, Liberia’s presence at the IMO is going well because of its strong leadership, the nation is now prepared and stands tall among maritime nations. As Liberia works to maintain its standing on the global scene, Ambassador Kpadeh, the head of the Liberia IMO Mission, has warned Liberian lawmakers to silence their rhetoric and refrain from actions that would give the world a negative impression of the nation.
“We are at a very crucial juncture in our foreign affairs and activities, and I would like to urge Liberians back home. We must demonstrate to the rest of the world that we are a highly responsible nation that upholds the law in our self-governance, which will win the respect of other member nations on a global scale,” he said.
Ambassador Kpadeh asserted that “we cannot burn down our parliament while also pursuing a more prominent role on the global stage. We cannot run around the streets committing crimes while simultaneously trying to get a seat at the UN level.”
“Liberians back home should support the mission and other organizations that represent the nation and work to restore its reputation internationally,” he said.
“Our colleagues admire us and vote for us since we are working so hard and honestly here on the worldwide front. People are looking online, thus we want you to assist us by acting appropriately. They would claim that this is the nation running for seats at the UN and IMO, but this is contradicted by the fact that they are jumping in the streets and destroying their parliament. Gangsterism, thuggery, and people enforcing the law themselves are all evident. These incidents shouldn’t be taking place. “Please,” said Amb. Kpadeh.
“Therefore, we can only appeal to our leaders back home. Regardless of whether you are in the ruling establishment, the opposition, or neither, now is the time for us to unite because it is about our country.” Robert Kpadeh, the ambassador, mentioned.
