Asia Boosts IMO Technical Cooperation

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), Thailand’s Ministry of Transport and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia (UNESCAP) have recently organized the second regional Knowledge Partnership Workshop in Asia in Bangkok,

The workshop was designed to support maritime technical cooperation activities in the region.

The workshop brought together officials from transport ministries, responsible for maritime affairs, and finance ministries, responsible for official development assistance. Participants shared knowledge, skills, and experience and meet maritime and development cooperation counterparts from around the region to seek cooperation opportunities.

"Increasing awareness of maritime issues and prioritizing them in national development plans was another important objective," said the UN body.

The workshop provided a platform for donors to prioritize their interests and identify the needs and demands of recipient countries; and for recipients to have a better understanding of how to access the various resources available to address their needs. Both sides were improving their understanding of each other’s mechanisms for accessing and delivering funding and support.

The workshop was part of IMO’s new long-term strategy on mobilizing resources for technical cooperation activities. This embodied a more proactive and methodical approach for generating new resources, encouraging partnerships with IMO Member States, the United Nations system and multilateral development banks, through new and innovative projects.

It encouraged active communication with potential donors and recipients to highlight the value and benefits of working with IMO and its alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Participating Member States and organizations represented at the workshop are: Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Viet Nam, and UNESCAP.