The Assembly is the highest Governing Body of the IMO, consisting of all Member States, responsible for approving the work programme, voting the budget and determining the financial arrangements of the Organization. The Assembly also elects the Council.

In his opening remarks, Secretary-General Dominguez stated: “We meet today at a time when the maritime sector continues to navigate a complex international environment marked by geopolitical tensions, evolving trade patterns, and an accelerating global transition towards decarbonization and digitalization.”

“The successes still ahead of us will depend on your decisions and your collective action in bringing together this diverse community,” he said.

The Assembly elected H.E. Mrs. Marine de Carné de Trécesson de Coëtlogon, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of France to IMO, as President for its 34th regular session.

H.E. Mr. Hakim Hajoui, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Morocco to the United Kingdom was elected as first Vice President; and H.E. Dr. Iruthisham Adam, High Commissioner and Permanent Representative of Maldives to IMO, was elected as second Vice President.

Read the Secretary-General’s full remarks below:

ADDRESS BY THE SECRETARY-GENERAL TO THE THIRTY-FOURTH SESSION OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION

Delivered by IMO Secretary-General Mr. Arsenio Dominguez on 24 November 2025

Good morning President, Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Distinguished delegates, Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my great honour to welcome you to the thirty-fourth session of the Assembly of the International Maritime Organization.

This session of the Assembly also represents my first opportunity to address you in my capacity as Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization.

I want to begin by letting you in on a little secret. In the summer of 2022, I wrote down some thoughts about why I wanted to become Secretary-General. I wrote the words “I want to shake things up a little”.

When I wrote those words, I did not realize quite how daunting – or how exciting – that would turn out to be.

I also wrote the word “transparency” several times. So what better way to open this session than to be open about my reflections on my first two years.

When I asked for your support before the election, I told you that I would take the lead to deliver on a united and better future.

We have celebrated successes. We have faced challenges – and I hope you have seen the dedication and commitment with which my team and I have approached each and every milestone on our path towards that united and better future.

My strategic priorities, then, and now, are, to advance our sector, progressing on matters such as safety, security, decarbonization and automation; to increase our visibility as an Organization and as a sector; to be more diverse and transparent, and to enhance our support to all our Member States, particularly in the areas of technical cooperation and capacity development.

To make progress, I have had to shake and restructure IMO a little, and I have had to shake you, the delegates, up a little too. Many of you have shaken me in return, and I welcome it.  It keeps me on my toes and helps me find my balance.

Internally, we have revised strategies on gender, diversity and racial equality and reviewed our Staff Regulations and Staff Rules. We have strengthened our global communications presence and introduced thematic technical cooperation priorities to make best use of our resources and align with donor commitments. We have improved our facilities – from hybrid systems in the meetings rooms to new wellbeing amenities for staff. We have even given our beloved logo a facelift!

This start has been energizing and motivating.

But the successes still ahead of us will depend on your decisions and your collective action in bringing together this diverse community.

I am humbled by and deeply grateful for the trust that Member States have placed in me, and I wish to reaffirm my full commitment to serving the interests of the Organization and supporting all Member States in advancing IMO’s mandate.

We meet today at a time when the maritime sector continues to navigate a complex international environment marked by geopolitical tensions, evolving trade patterns, and an accelerating global transition towards decarbonization and digitalization. This was particularly visible when seafarers and ships were negatively and unjustly affected in the Red and the Black seas.

Despite these challenges, the central role of international shipping in enabling global trade remains clear, and the work carried out across the Organization’s committees during the last biennium reflects the steady commitment of Member States to strengthening maritime safety, environmental protection, legal certainty, facilitation and capacity development.

I could spend hours highlighting the number of deliverables we have collectively achieved, but by now you know that I do not like long speeches. Hopefully this serves as an example for the speeches and interventions to come during the session.

I will only highlight only a few matters. But I want to make it clear, this does not mean that those I do not mention are any less important or relevant!

Over the past two years, the Maritime Safety Committee has advanced important work to enhance the safety of navigation and the protection of life at sea, including the continuing development of regulatory frameworks for new technologies and alternative fuels, the commencement of the review of standards of training and certification, and the progression of instruments to support the safe implementation of the IMO Greenhouse Gas Strategy.

The Marine Environment Protection Committee has focused on the effective implementation of that strategy and other measures to protect the marine environment, including efforts related to emissions reduction, marine litter, biofouling, underwater radiated noise and ballast water management.

The work of the Legal Committee, particularly in addressing fraudulent registration and the abandonment and criminalization of seafarers, and the efforts of the Facilitation Committee to advance the digitalization of the maritime sector, including the transition to the mandatory maritime single window.

The Technical Cooperation Committee, for its part, has continued to expand the reach and impact of IMO’s capacity development programmes, ensuring that all Member States—especially developing countries—are supported in their efforts to implement IMO instruments effectively and equitably.

The Assembly will also be asked to turn its attention to a number of matters central to the governance and strategic direction of the Organization.

You will be invited to consider and adopt the revised Strategic Plan covering the period 2024 to 2029, which sets out the mission, vision and the strategic directions of the Organization in light of the challenges and opportunities facing the maritime sector.

You will also consider and approve the budget and work programme for the biennium 2026–2027, ensuring that the Organization remains properly resourced and positioned to deliver on its mandate.

During this session, the Assembly will be invited to adopt several important resolutions. In particular, you will consider the new IMO Capacity Development Strategy, the first comprehensive and consolidated strategy of its kind for the Organization. This Strategy establishes a coherent framework for capacity development across the maritime sector, ensuring that technical cooperation and assistance activities are aligned with the evolving needs of Member States and with the Organization’s strategic priorities.

You will also be invited to adopt the Framework and Procedures for the second cycle of the IMO Member State Audit Scheme, which will guide the next phase of audits. This new Framework is central to strengthening global implementation of IMO instruments, enhancing transparency, and supporting Member States in identifying areas for improved performance.

A further important item before the Assembly is the enhancement of multilingualism within the Organization, in particular through the inclusion of Arabic as a working language for the Assembly. This development reflects the IMO’s commitment to inclusivity, accessibility and equitable participation by all Member States.

Allow me also to highlight the important occasion that will take place this evening: the IMO Awards Ceremony. This annual event offers us the opportunity to recognize and commend individuals who have demonstrated exceptional bravery and outstanding service in the maritime domain. I look forward to welcoming you to this significant ceremony.

As always, I wish to reiterate that seafarers remain at the heart of the maritime sector. Their professionalism, resilience and unwavering dedication underpin not only the safety and efficiency of the global supply chain but also the continued ability of maritime transport to support sustainable development worldwide. The Organization remains fully committed to supporting their safety, welfare and well-being.

I am confident that, under your able leadership and through your collective efforts, this Assembly will achieve meaningful outcomes that strengthen the Organization and advance our shared objectives.

I wish you every success in your work.

Thank you.