The Council is the executive organ of IMO and is responsible, between sessions of the IMO Assembly, for supervising the work of the organisation and performing almost all Assembly functions. The 27th session of the IMO Assembly was held recently at the IMO's London headquarters.
The Assembly is the IMO's highest governing body; it normally meets once every two years in regular session. All 170 member states, three associate members, the intergovernmental organisations with which agreements of co-operation have been concluded, and non- governmental organisations in consultative status with the IMO are entitled to attend the Assembly, according to Ports & Ships Maritime News.
The IMO elects 40 members for a two-year term on the council. South Africa belongs to category C, which is made up of 20 states with 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. Elected category C countries are: Australia, Bahamas, Belgium, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey.
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