26 States signed the Convention on the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation at a signing ceremony which took place at the IALA headquarters in Saint Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, on 26 January 2022.

The ceremony was hosted by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs representing the Depositary, the government of France.

This ceremony marked the end of the one-year signature period which started on 27 January 2021 in Paris where France, as Depositary State, represented by Mrs. Annick Girardin, Minister for Marine Affairs, was the first State to sign the Convention.

All Member States of the United Nations, and in particular the other signatories of the Final Act of the 2020 Kuala Lumpur Conference, were invited to sign the Convention at the signing ceremony.

The countries represented on 26 January 2022 were the following: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Cameroun, Congo (Republic of), Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea Bissau, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia and Vanuatu.

That brings the total number of signatures up to 50. Five States have also ratified or accepted the Convention.

From today, all Member States of the United Nations that have not signed the Convention may accede to the Convention, which will enter into force ‘on the ninetieth day after the date of deposit of the thirtieth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.’

Mr. Francis Zachariae, IALA Secretary-General stated in his welcome that: This important progress reflects the respect that the new organization will have based on the many years of IALA’s growth, maturity and excellence. IALA will soon be able to contribute even more to safety of navigation worldwide, protection of the maritime environment and good ocean governance.

More information about the IGO process can be found on IALA website https://www.iala-aism.org/the-igo-project/

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Adoption of the text and signing of the Convention

The Convention on the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation was adopted at a Diplomatic Conference in Kuala Lumpur in February 2020 after three preparatory conferences in Istanbul in March 2019, in Marrakech in February 2018 and in Paris in April 2017. The development of a set of new General Regulations, including financial regulations, is well advanced and the final draft is envisaged to be agreed at the first General Assembly of the new intergovernmental organization (IGO). Meanwhile, the draft Headquarters Agreement is under development and will be finalized in cooperation with the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France.

The Convention was signed 27th January 2021 by France, represented by Mrs. Annick Girardin, Minister for Marine Affairs. France, being the host Country and the depositary State, was the first to sign the Convention.

This event marked the opening for signature of the Convention for a period of one year. All Member States of the United Nations, and in particular the other signatories of the Final Act of the Kuala Lumpur Conference, were invited to sign the Convention at the Protocol of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and then to proceed to its ratification.

At the signing ceremony in Paris on 26 January 2022, 26 states signed the Convention. As of today, 50 States have signed the Convention and five States have ratified or accepted the Convention.

The certified versions of the Convention in the official languages of the organization, Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish, can be found on the IALA web site: https://www.iala-aism.org/the-igo-project/

Smooth transition

The Convention contains robust arrangements for a smooth transition. These will ensure that the activities of IALA’s organs and its technical work in the area of Marine Aids to Navigation (AtoN) will continue uninterrupted and that its responsibilities towards the maritime community will be undiminished and maintained with the customary high level of commitment and expertise.

The change of status will mark a major milestone in the life of IALA. However, it will not, in any way, change the principal aim of IALA, which is, as stated in its present Constitution, “to foster the safe, economic and efficient movement of vessels”. Under the new Convention, IALA will also remain a consultative technical organization.

Strengthening international cooperation

IALA has worked in close partnership with other international organizations for decades and wishes this collaboration to continue and grow. Elevating the status of IALA to that of an IGO will make it a peer to organizations such as the International Maritime Organization, the International Telecommunication Union, the World Meteorological Organization and the International Hydrographic Organization, thereby strengthening existing cooperation. Furthermore, it will allow for a broader participation in IALA by States, at government level. This will assist IALA’s aim to promote the greatest possible uniformity in AtoN, in the spirit of the SOLAS Convention.

Further in this regard, IALA is mindful of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which, under Article 266, requires States that are Parties to UNCLOS to cooperate “through competent international organizations” to promote the development and transfer of marine technology. IALA is already fully engaged with, and will continue to be dedicated to, promotion of technical cooperation on all matters related to the development and transfer of expertise and technology in relation to AtoN. In this context, it is committed to keeping pace with emerging technologies, as appropriate, and working closely together with its Industrial members around the world, as well as with national government agencies and AtoN authorities and other international and intergovernmental organizations.

The objectives and activities of IALA as an IGO will continue to be complementary to those of its peer IGOs. By working together with partner IGOs, with the respective mandate, role, and responsibilities of each transparent, mutually supportive, and commonly accepted, work will become more effective through better coordination and greater integration of standards. Any overlap or duplication would also be easier to avoid, and the resulting creation of synergies would optimize available resources in the interests of the efficient movement of vessels, expeditious shipping traffic, maritime safety and protection of the environment.

The Convention

The Convention draws on the principles and provisions of the present IALA Constitution and those of the conventions of sister organizations.  With respect to the position of Industrial members, the Convention follows the approach of the Convention of the World Tourism Organization (UNTWO), which designates companies involved in the business of promoting tourism as Affiliate members to ensure their inclusion as an important category of its membership. The existing Industrial members of IALA will thus become Affiliate members of IALA as an IGO and this will ensure the continued, strong cohesion between AtoN authorities and providers that has always been important for the work of IALA.

IGO status will best support the aims and activities of IALA into the future. It will benefit the Member States and members, other International Organizations and their Member States and members, as well as the shipping industry. This will be achieved by continuous improvement and enhanced harmonization of AtoN and related services to the benefit of safety of navigation, efficiency of shipping traffic and protection of the environment. The Convention provides for a fit-for-purpose international legal framework that ensures transparency and good governance, strengthens the position of IALA to work in close collaboration with Governments and other IGOs, and fosters its technical and consultative work as the leading international expert body concerned with AtoN and related services.