Russia Accuses IMO Of Losing Impartiality Due To External Pressure & Safeguarding Interests Of A Few

Russia has claimed that the U.N. shipping agency is abandoning its impartial role as a result of “external pressure” and is being used in the interests of a minor assortment of beneficiaries.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), which has 175 member state nations and is headquartered in London, is in charge of regulating the safety as well as the security of international shipping and guarding against pollution.

In December, 40 nations will be chosen by secret ballot to serve on the executive IMO Council that oversees the operation of the body by the IMO Assembly, the agency’s highest governing body, which meets every two years.

Due to Moscow’s unforgivable invasion that started last year, Ukraine has been advocating to have Russia expelled from the IMO Council.

According to one of the candidate submissions made to the IMO on 21 September and published on Monday, Russia, an IMO member state since 1958 and a consistent candidate for re-election to the IMO Council, is running for re-election this year.

Russia did not elaborate on how the IMO’s role has altered or who it claimed is pressuring the IMO from outside.

The equilibrium within the Organization has been disrupted. That includes the fair treatment of the interests of IMO member states, Russia mentioned, adding that it wished to contribute at challenging times to the IMO’s efforts.

An IMO spokesperson stated that the Secretariat does not address submissions or notes made by member nations.

According to the Ukrainian IMO delegation, Russia’s evident aggression against Ukraine has led to violations of the principles of international law, including a blockade of the global shipping industry in the Black Sea-Sea of Azov region and “deliberate attacks” against commercial ships, ports, maritime training institutes, navigational facilities, the wider marine environment in Ukraine, as well as impacted seafarers.

The delegation from Ukraine stated that Russia cannot be regarded as one of the responsible members of the international maritime community and should be expelled from the IMO Council.

In July, Russia withdrew from a deal supported by the UN that allowed Ukraine to export its crops. Kyiv has since established its own “humanitarian corridor.”

In retaliation for aviation-specific actions taken following its invasion of Ukraine, Moscow was denied enough votes to be re-elected to the UN aviation agency’s governing council in October of last year.

References: Reuters, G Captain

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