Seven countries in race for the next IMO Secretary General position

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has released a list of seven nominees vying to succeed its current Secretary-General, Kitack Lim from South Korea.

PHOTO: Street view of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) building in Lambeth, London in the UK. Getty Images

Bangladesh has nominated Moin Uddin Ahmed, a former Navy captain and Director General of the International Mobile Satellite Organisation, as its candidate for the position.

Turkey has nominated Suat Hayri Aka, Deputy Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs & Communication as Kitack Lim's successor.

Panama has nominated Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco, Director of IMO’s marine environment division, while China has nominated Zhang Xiaojie, Director of IMO's technical cooperation division.

Kenyan candidate Nancy Karigithu is the Principal Secretary at Kenya’s State Department for Shipping and Maritime. She has also served two terms as Chair of IMO’s technical cooperation committee.

Dominican candidate Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry is currently the President of the World Maritime University. Finnish nominee Minna Kivimäki is Permanent Secretary at Finland's Ministry of Transport and Communications.

The election will take place at IMO Headquarters in London on 18 July. Lim’s term is set to end on 31 December this year, and his successor will take charge from 1 January 2024.

By Konica Bhatt

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