IMO initiated a milestone today with the inauguration of the first IMO Regional Presence Office in the Asian region. The opening of the office for the East Asian sub-region follows the successful establishment of three regional presence offices in Africa: the IMO regional co-ordinators are located in Kenya, for Eastern and Southern Africa subregion; Ghana, for West and Central Africa (Anglophone) subregion; and Abidjan, for West and Central Africa (Francophone) sub-region. The IMO regional co-ordinator for East Asian sub-region will be Brenda Pimentel, who was previously the overseas shipping director of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) in the Philippines.