IMO’s Technical Cooperation Committee at its 71st session (TC 71) (20-24 September) has approved the establishment of an IMO Regional Presence Office (RPO) for the Pacific Islands region. If approved at the thirty-fourth extraordinary session of the Council (08 – 12 November 2021), this will see the Pacific Region become the sixth to feature an IMO RPO.

The existing RPOs are: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire for west and central Africa (Francophone); Accra, Ghana for west and central Africa (Anglophone); Nairobi, Kenya for eastern and southern Africa; Manila, the Philippines for East Asia; and Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago for the Caribbean.  IMO also funds one Technical Cooperation Officer within the Pacific Community (SPC), based in Suva, Fiji.

The Committee agreed to continue funding the current Technical Cooperation Officer position for the Pacific region until the regional presence office was fully established and operational.

The final decision about the location of the Pacific regional presence office will be made once potential host countries have submitted their proposals to the IMO Secretary-General.

TC 71 also:

• Approved a long-term strategy on technical cooperation entitled the “Capacity-Building Decade 2021-2030”, for adoption by the IMO Assembly as an Assembly resolution.
• Approved the Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP) for the 2022-2023 biennium, including a new global programme on reducing emissions from ships and in ports to support developing countries, SIDS and LDCs in the implementation of the Initial IMO GHG Strategy.
• Approved a TC Fund allocation for the delivery of the ITCP 2022-2023,  subject to the final decisions of the Council and the Assembly.
• Made significant progress in developing SMART indicators for data collection for technical cooperation, in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• Was updated on partnership and financing arrangements for technical cooperation activities.
• Was updated on technical cooperation activities and programmes, including the Women in Maritime programme.
• Supported a proposal to recognize 18 May as an IMO proclaimed International Day for Women in Maritime for consideration by Council.