LONDON – Russia on Friday failed to win enough votes for re-election to the United Nation’s shipping agency’s governing council after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had urged countries not to allow Moscow to be part of the UN body’s executive arm.

The outcome is another blow for Russia after it failed in its bid to return to the UN’s top human rights body in October, in an election seen as a key test of Western efforts to keep Moscow isolated.

Last year Moscow also failed to win enough votes for re-election to the UN aviation agency’s governing council.

The London-based International Maritime Organization (IMO) is responsible for regulating the safety and security of international shipping and preventing pollution and comprises 175 member state countries. Russia has been a member since 1958 and has been consistently re-elected to the IMO Council.

With voting underway on Friday, 40 countries were elected by secret ballot to the IMO Council, which supervises the work of the body. They include China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Norway, Panama, South Korea, Britain and the United States.

Malta re-elected

Malta has secured its re-election to Category C of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) council, coming in second place. Category C consists of 20 States not elected under either as States with the largest interest in providing international shipping services or States with the largest interest in international seaborne trade  but which have special interests in maritime transport or navigation and whose election to the Council will ensure the representation of all major geographic areas of the world

The accomplishment marks the most impressive result in Malta’s history with the IMO.

Ukraine, which was not standing for election, had pushed for Russia to be ousted from the IMO Council.

“Russia has no place in the International Maritime Organization nor in its governing bodies, because no one in recent decades has caused greater harm to free navigation than Russia,” Zelenskiy told the IMO Assembly in a remote address on Monday.

Russia’s IMO delegation told the Assembly earlier on Friday that it deserved its place on the Council.

“A balancing and constructive role is what our country contributes, not just to this body, but to the Organization as a whole,” Russia’s delegation said in translated comments.

In October, Russia said the IMO was departing from its impartial role due to “external pressure” which it said was impacting the fair treatment of all member countries.

Photo: IMO

 Russia fails to get re-elected to UN ship agency’s governing council; Malta
re-elected  

LONDON – Russia on Friday failed
to win enough votes for re-election to the United
Nation’s shipping agency’s governing council after Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskiy had urged countries not to allow Moscow to be part of the
UN body’s executive arm.The outcome is another blow for
Russia after it failed in its bid to return to the
UN’s top human rights body in October, in an election seen as a key test of
Western efforts to keep Moscow isolated.Last year Moscow also failed to
win enough votes for re-election to the UN aviation
agency’s governing council.The London-based International
Maritime Organization (IMO) is responsible for regulating the safety and
security of international shipping and preventing pollution and comprises 175
member state countries. Russia has been a member since 1958 and has been
consistently re-elected to the IMO Council.With voting underway on Friday,
40 countries were elected by secret ballot to the IMO Council, which supervises
the work of the body. They include China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Liberia,
Norway, Panama, South Korea, Britain and the United States.

Malta re-elected

 

Malta has secured its re-election to Category C of the International
Maritime Organisation (IMO) council, coming in second place. Category C
consists of 20 States not elected under either as States with the largest
interest in providing international shipping services or States with the
largest interest in international seaborne trade  but which have special interests in maritime
transport or navigation and whose election to the Council will ensure the
representation of all major geographic areas of the worldThe accomplishment marks the most impressive result in Malta’s history with
the IMO.

 Ukraine, which was not standing
for election, had pushed for Russia to be ousted from the IMO Council.”Russia has no place in
the International Maritime Organization nor in its governing bodies, because no
one in recent decades has caused greater harm to free navigation than
Russia,” Zelenskiy told the IMO Assembly in a remote address on Monday.Russia’s IMO delegation told
the Assembly earlier on Friday that it deserved its place on the Council.”A balancing and
constructive role is what our country contributes, not just to this body, but
to the Organization as a whole,” Russia’s delegation said in translated
comments.In October, Russia said the IMO
was departing from
its impartial role due to “external pressure” which it said was
impacting the fair treatment of all member countries.Photo: IMO