Mr. Koji Sekimizu''s Word

For the last three days, I have been in Egypt upon the kind invitation by the Egyptian Government and the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport(AASTMT). Today, Monday, 26 January 2015, I will return to London.

My visit to the AASMT was for the first time since my last visit in 2007 as the Director of the Maritime Safety Division. For this time, I visited the Academy as a part of my official visit as the Secretary General and I addressed the Executive Council and the top management of the Academy and also students of the College of Maritime Transport and Technology at the graduation ceremony of completion of the Basic Studies at the Academy. At those addresses, I spoke about the theme of the World Maritime Day, "Maritime Education and Training", importance of training institutions, my view on what IMO has achieved during the last five and a half decades of activities- that is the global system of shared responsibilities for maritime governance- and the importance of strengthened cooperation among maritime Universities and Academies of the world and the World Maritime University of IMO.

I was delighted to see the most recent developments at the Academy, such as the advanced and full mission engine room simulator, and the level of education and training at the Academy reflected in the graduation ceremony and the display of achievements of the graduates students. Their eyes were really shining with their pride as the graduates of the Academy and excitement for graduation and expectations for their future.

The Arab Academy is the facility of the League of Arab States for training maritime experts supported by Transport Ministers of all Arab League nations and hosted in Egypt. The maritime industry can not be run and maintained without well trained and motivated human resources who actually operate ships and ports at the sharp ends and, observing the most updated training facilities and the strength of the teaching staff, I felt that the future of maritime activities of Arab nations is well secured by this excellent institution maintaining the highest standard of education and training.

The schedule of my visit included my courtesy visits to President, Prime Minister, Transport Minister, Interior Minister and Secretary General of the League of Arab States and I have made exchanges of views on the importance of Arab Academy, the sustainable maritime transportation system for the economy of the region and the world and requested further support to the activities of IMO. I specifically mentioned about the importance of the project of Suez Canal expansion as a significant contribution from Egypt to the maritime community. I was pleased to note the willingness of the Transport Minister, in particular, to provide further information at an appropriate opportunity at IMO on the progress of the expansion project which could be finalised this year with significant level of accelerated investments and construction works.

Koji Sekimizu