Pakistan Launches Campaign for IMO Council Election 2026-27
LONDON: Pakistan hosted a reception for delegates of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) at the IMO Headquarters in London, marking a key milestone in its campaign for the upcoming IMO Council Election (2026-27).
The reception was held on the sidelines of the extraordinary session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) and attended by IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez Velasco, representatives from more than 176 member states, diplomats, and officials of the Pakistan High Commission, London.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Mohammad Faisal, welcomed the Secretary General and delegates, emphasizing Pakistan’s strategic maritime significance and commitment to international maritime cooperation.
In his keynote address, Dr. Faisal said that as a strategically located coastal state with over 1,000 km of coastline, Pakistan hosts key ports — Karachi, Port Qasim, and the rapidly developing Gwadar Port, the gateway to regional and intercontinental trade routes.
Highlighting Pakistan’s longstanding role in global maritime affairs, Dr. Faisal noted that Pakistan was among the founding members of the IMO and had previously served as a Council Member five times.
He underlined Pakistan’s pledge, as part of its current campaign for the IMO Council Election 2026-27, to:
- Promote international cooperation;
- Strengthen implementation of IMO Conventions and Protocols;
- Support maritime safety, security, and sustainable shipping;
- Advance decarbonization goals;
- Enhance seafarer welfare, training, and technical capacity-building — particularly for developing states;
- Uphold transparency, consensus-building, and constructive engagement.
IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez Velasco appreciated Pakistan’s active engagement with the organization, recalling his visit to Pakistan last year. He praised Pakistan’s commitment to maritime safety, blue economy development, and its growing role in regional trade and connectivity.
