Technical Co-operation Committee (TC), 61st session: 21-23 June 2011
Integrated Technical Co-operation Programme for 2012-2013 approved
The Technical Co-operation Committee, meeting for its 61st session, approved the Integrated Technical Co-operation Programme (ITCP) for the 2012-2013 biennium and the Technical Co-operation (TC) Fund allocation to support the delivery of that programme.
The 2012-2013 ITCP comprises 15 programmes (seven regional and eight global) with funding requirements of some US$24million, including a new global programme on mitigation of climate change. The programme activities have been development based on the indentified needs of the developing countries, the Organization’s strategic plan and high-level action plan, the thematic priorities or medium goals of the IMO Committees, and the interests of the development partners.
The Committee approved a biennial allocation of US$16.4 million from the TC Fund to support the implementation of the ITCP for 2012-2013. The allocation would be financed from available monies in the TC Fund and by the predicted surplus from the Trading Fund. The overall allocation was projected to cover 68% of the total requirement for the ITCP (compared with the 62% coverage in 2010-2011).
Interim report on 2010-2011 presented
The Committee noted the progress report on the implementation of the ITCP for the 2010-2011 biennium, which showed that total expenditure on technical co-operation activities in 2010 amounted to some US$14.76 million, translating into a delivery rate of 80% for the year, the highest ever achieved both in terms of the volume and the rate of delivery. It was noted that out of the 28 sources of funding, the TC Fund expenditure of US$6.5 million represented 44% of the overall total funds expended in 2010, which highlights the dependency of the ITCP delivery on the TC Fund.
The Committee noted the progress report on the implementation of the ITCP for the 2010-2011 biennium, which showed that total expenditure on technical co-operation activities in 2010 amounted to some US$14.76 million, translating into a delivery rate of 80% for the year, the highest ever achieved both in terms of the volume and the rate of delivery. It was noted that out of the 28 sources of funding, the TC Fund expenditure of US$6.5 million represented 44% of the overall total funds expended in 2010, which highlights the dependency of the ITCP delivery on the TC Fund.
During 2010, 24 advisory missions were carried out, the majority focused on maritime safety. assignments; and a total of 82 training courses, seminars and workshops held at the national, regional and global levels, covering a wide range of topics. The latter figure reflected the importance given to training and capacity-building within the ITCP, which resulted in the training of approximately 2,360 participants world-wide in 2010. In addition to the number of persons trained, at least 1,000 other officials attended events aimed at developing and harmonizing regional strategies on maritime issues.
Sustainable financing
The Committee noted that since 1 May 2010, some US$5.3 million had been contributed to the multi-donor trust funds and financial arrangements held by IMO, and that one-off cash donations to ITCP activities amounted to US$228,084.
The Committee noted that since 1 May 2010, some US$5.3 million had been contributed to the multi-donor trust funds and financial arrangements held by IMO, and that one-off cash donations to ITCP activities amounted to US$228,084.
There are currently 17 financial arrangements in operation, nine of which had been established with government agencies of Canada, Egypt, Italy, Norway, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States and the rest with international and regional organizations and industry.
There are six multi-donor trust funds: the International Maritime Security Trust Fund, the International Search and Rescue Fund, the International Ship Recycling Trust Fund, the IMO Malacca and Singapore Straits Trust Fund, the IMO Djibouti Code of Conduct Trust Fund and the London Convention/Protocol TC Trust Fund.
IMO Regional presence success continues
The Committee was updated on the progress made towards delivering technical assistance through the regional presence scheme in Africa and east Asia, and through the Regional Maritime Adviser (RMA) in the Caribbean.
The Committee was updated on the progress made towards delivering technical assistance through the regional presence scheme in Africa and east Asia, and through the Regional Maritime Adviser (RMA) in the Caribbean.
During 2010, the Regional Coordinators in Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya and the Philippines, and the Regional Maritime Adviser in Trinidad and Tobago had continued to manage and execute ITCP programmes, including the implementation of 33 national/regional ITCP activities covering all fields of IMO's mandate; providing coordination and assistance in the organization of 33 national/regional workshops; representing IMO at 30 national/regional meetings, conferences and workshops, including presentations to 10 regional conferences and workshops organized by regional agencies; and implementing of Resolution 1 of the 2000 Florence Conference on Maritime Search and Rescue and the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System through the organization of advisory missions to nine African countries.
The Committee also noted that sixty-five partnerships arrangements were currently in operation for the delivery of technical co-operation activities, of which 41 had been concluded with developing and developed countries and 24 had been made with international organizations, regional institutions and industry.
Voluntary IMO Member State Audit Scheme update
The Committee was updated on the training programme for auditors for the Voluntary IMO Member State Audit Scheme (VIMSAS), noting that a total of 347 individuals from 142 countries had been trained through 24 regional courses, with eight regional training courses for auditors scheduled for delivery during the 2010-2011 biennium, of which four had been delivered in 2010 and one in 2011. The remaining three would be delivered during 2011.
Under the 2012-2013 global programme on VIMSAS, IMO's assistance to the geographical regions would continue to organize training events, with emphasis on the training of maritime administrators from developing countries.
The Committee noted that, by April 2011, a total of 48 audits had been completed against a total of 43 Member States, one Associate Member and four dependent territories that had volunteered to be audited. As of 18 April 2011, 183 individuals had been nominated by their governments for inclusion in the roster of auditors.
Impact assessment exercise endorsed
The Committee endorsed the general principles, methodology and organizational requirements for the next Impact Assessment Exercise, which aims to measure the effectiveness of the technical co-operation assistance received by developing countries through the ITCP during the four-year period from 2008 to 2011 with a focus on human resource development, institutional capacity-building and VIMSAS.
The Committee endorsed the general principles, methodology and organizational requirements for the next Impact Assessment Exercise, which aims to measure the effectiveness of the technical co-operation assistance received by developing countries through the ITCP during the four-year period from 2008 to 2011 with a focus on human resource development, institutional capacity-building and VIMSAS.
Integration of women – success at WMU
The Committee was updated on the Programme on the Integration of Women in the Maritime Sector (IWMS) with a number of delegations providing examples of the advancement of women at policy and senior management levels in their respective countries. The President of the World Maritime University (WMU) said the proportion of women training at WMU had gone up to 30% of the total intake in 2010, compared with 5% in 2000.
The Committee was updated on the Programme on the Integration of Women in the Maritime Sector (IWMS) with a number of delegations providing examples of the advancement of women at policy and senior management levels in their respective countries. The President of the World Maritime University (WMU) said the proportion of women training at WMU had gone up to 30% of the total intake in 2010, compared with 5% in 2000.
Partners in the implementation of the IWMS Programme in 2010 included the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport in Alexandria, Egypt, the Institut Portuaire d'Enseignement et de Recherche in Le Havre, France, Women in Maritime Association-Asia (WIMA-Asia) and the Association of Women Managers in the Maritime Sector in East and Southern Africa (WOMESA).
Financing of WMU
The Committee discussed the ongoing need for sustainable financing of the WMU following the decision by the Council in 2010 to make a £500,000 transfer from reserves in the Organization’s TC Fund to provide short-term financial support for the WMU.
The Committee agreed to recommend to the IMO Council that it adopt the Secretary General's proposal to ring-fence 5% of the "not less than 75%" of the Trading Fund in-year surplus allocated to the TC Fund under resolution A.1014(26), to support WMU as an interim measure, until the possible establishment of an Endowment Fund (should the Council decide for the establishment of such a fund) to provide financial support to ensure the sustainability of the University.