London (United Kingdom) Correspondent: Ambassadors, High Commissioners, and Permanent Representatives of more than 40 African countries, members of the IMO, praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for offering 10 marine cadetship scholarships from Bangladesh for African  LDCs and SIDS  at the IMO.  

At a reception hosted by Bangladesh High Commission London in honour of African members of the IMO who supported Bangladesh’s candidature to the IMO in council Category C elections last December, Ambassador of Guinea on behalf of African Union and Ambassador of Nigeria on behalf of IMO African group at the IMO  thanked Bangladesh government for announcing  10 scholarships for African groups and SIDS in Bangladesh marine academies and in their statement said that Bangladesh’s election to the IMO council is a well-deserved honour and Africa wants to foster a stronger partnership to promote and mutual collaboration and understating at the IMO in addressing climate change and GHG reduction from Shipping sector enhancing safety and security from maritime cooperation, promoting digitalization and advanced technologies and welfare and working conditions of seafarers.

High Commissioner of Bangladesh and PR to the IMO in her speech said ‘ Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina over the past decade and half has completely transformed Bangladesh’s maritime landscape with building country’s first Deep Sea Port in Matarbari, the first Bay Terminal in Chattogram, the first LNG FSRU in Moheshkhali,  the first Single buoy mooring in Kutubdia , the first Maritime University, the Pyra Specialized port and the Delta Plan 2100 -all part of her ‘Smart Bangladesh’ Vision, latest initiative to ratify the Hong Kong convention in 2023 was a historic decision advancing health and safety conditions in Bangladesh ’s ship recycling industry.

The High Commissioner further said ‘Bangladesh will work hand to hand with vast members of the African group and challenges faced by LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS countries of the Africa to promote shared interest of more recruitment at the IMO technical cooperation for training of seafarers and building of maritime strategies for green transition as well as preventing piracy’  

H.E. Aly Diallo, Ambassador of the Republic of Guinea, H.E. Dr. Cyprian, Acting High Commissioner of Nigeria, Ms. Dorota Lost-Sieminska, Director of Legal Affairs and External Relations Division, Mr. Jose Matheickal, director, Technical, Cooperation and Implementation Division spoke at the event. Ambassadors, PRs and APRs of more than 40 African countries attended the event.

Biniyougbarta/SAM//