Seven candidates are included in the final list for the position of IMO’s next secretary general.

Mr. Kitack Lim will step down as secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as his term is about to expire on 31st of December 2023. 

The maritime body gave in the press the list with the names of the candidates for the position as the IMO’s final list includes seven candidates from Bangladesh, Türkiye, Panama, Dominica, Kenya, Finland and China.

The nominations received by the deadline set for receipt of nominations of 31 March 2023 are listed in alphabetical order by candidates’ name and include Panamas Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco, Moin Uddin Ahmed from Bangladesh, Suat Hayri Aka from Türkiye, Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry from Dominica, Nancy Karigithu from Kenya, Minna Kivimäki from Finland, and Zhang Xiaojie from China.

The IMO Council at its 128th session last December approved the procedures for holding the election of the Secretary-General at the July 2023 session of the Council (C 129). 

The election will take place at IMO Headquarters on Tuesday 18 July, with the elected candidate expected to take office on January 1st, 2024.  

Following the election in July 2023, the decision of the Council will be submitted to the 33rd session of the Assembly of IMO in late 2023. The Assembly will be invited to approve the appointment.