By Ifeyinwa Obi

African member states of International Maritime Organisation (IMO) are seeking support for Kenya’s candidate for the Secretary General’s position in the forthcoming election of the apex global maritime agency.

The Pan African Association for Port Cooperation (PAPC) which is soliciting support for Kenya’s candidate, Mr. Juvenal Shiundu, believes that he has a chance.

Communications Officer of PAPC , Mr. George Sunguh, said that Shiundu, Africa’s only candidate, is contesting against five other candidates from Europe and Asia.

It would be recalled that since the establishment of the IMO in 1958, Africa has not yet had the opportunity to occupy the post of Secretary General.

Pan African Association for Port Cooperation believes that the bold step taken by the Republic of Kenya to present the candidature of Mr. Shiundu would give Africa her maiden opportunity to produce a Secretary General of this very august Organization (IMO).

Shiundu has an extensive wealth of experience not only as a naval architect and from industry, but also within the IMO itself where he has served in key positions, including the Head of Africa Section in charge of technical cooperation and presently, Deputy Director in the Technical Cooperation Division in charge of programme management.

Sunguh added that Shiundu has over the years and till present, worked extensively in the IMO in support of Africa’s cause for maritime institutional and human capacity building.

He is credited with the successful establishment and running of IMO’s Regional Presence Programme which has resulted in the opening of three sub-regional offices of the IMO in Accra (Ghana), Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire) and Nairobi (Kenya).

These offices have brought the IMO to the door-steps of Africa and facilitated the deployment of IMO technical assistance to the maritime sector.

The association said that ports and maritime Administrations of all countries of Africa have benefited variously from IMO’s technical and human capacity building as a result of the proximity of the IMO through its Regional Presence Offices.