Minister of Transport H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al-Thani addressing the IMO Assembly in London.
London: The State of Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Transport, participated yesterday in the 34th Session of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Assembly, currently underway in London.
Minister of Transport H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al-Thani headed Qatar’s delegation to the session.
Meetings of this session address a range of issues related to the safety and security of maritime navigation and the protection of the marine environment, and will also include elections for the Organization’s Executive Council.
Addressing the Assembly, the Minister of Transport lauded the crucial role of the IMO in shaping the future of global maritime transportation, enhancing the safety and security of global maritime navigation, and protecting the marine environment.
He said that Qatar is strategically prioritising its maritime industry within its overall national transportation ecosystem, in step with the goals and agenda of the IMO.
The Minister also highlighted Qatar’s pragmatic steps with respect to reducing GHG emissions, enhancing ports’ efficiency, and developing its national legislations in line with best international standards for safety of life at sea, marine environment protection, and the safety of navigation and seafarers’ rights.
He cited significant progress in Qatar in qualifying and upskilling more national cadets in maritime industry; the most recent was the inauguration of a brand-new Maritime Training and Simulation Center at the University of Doha for Science and Technology. He said that the Center is equipped with cutting-edge world technologies to serve as a leading platform to prepare Qatari professionals to the best universal standards.
Protecting the marine environment, he said, has always been a cornerstone of Qatar’s national policies with a firm belief that seas are not just trade corridors, but natural and human legacy that ought to be protected for the coming generations.
In this regard, the minister said, Qatar had developed a national action plan to preserve marine resources and established a multidisciplinary committee focused on enhancing the long-term planning and management of marine resources, in line with the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).
Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United Kingdom and Ireland, and Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the IMO, H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud Al-Thani attended the session. (QNA)
Meanwhile, during his participation in the 34th Session of IMO Assembly being held in London, Minister of Transport met separately with several ministers and officials taking part in the meetings.
He met with HE UK Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander, HE Greek Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Vassilis Kikilias, and HE Minister of Transport and Aviation of the Republic of Sierra Leone Haji Vandi Turay.
The Minister also met with HE High Commissioner of Barbados to the United Kingdom Oral Holder, and HE First Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine Alona Ivanivna Shkrum.
During the meetings, the two sides reviewed bilateral cooperation between Qatar and those countries in the fields of transport, maritime navigation, ports, and all services and activities of the transport sector.
