KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Jamaica has formally submitted its candidature for re-election to Category C of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council, with elections scheduled for December 2025.
Under Secretary for the Foreign Trade Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Jamaica’s Ambassador to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Esmond Reid, said that Jamaica is actively seeking the support of the IMO membership in its bid for re-election to Category C of the Council.
“We hope to have the opportunity to continue to contribute to global oceans advocacy and the work of the IMO Council,” he said, pointing out that the Caribbean country has made significant strides in advancing its marine stewardship mandate.
He noted that a noteworthy achievement is Jamaica’s progress in safeguarding 15 percent of its territorial waters at the national level, alongside its active role in advancing regional cooperation through the draft CARICOM Ocean Policy.
“We also celebrate achievements on the international stage, including the consensual adoption of the Nice Declaration at the Third United Nations Ocean Conference in June 2025, and the milestone ratification by over 60 countries of the High Seas Treaty earlier this month,” the Under Secretary said.
Reid said that this historic step has paved the way for the agreement’s entry into force in January 2026, marking a significant milestone in regional maritime cooperation.
“Looking ahead, Jamaica will continue to play an active and valuable role in the international maritime sector, both as a trusted partner of the IMO and four other international partners,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Reid noted that the 30th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 30), scheduled for November in Belém, Brazil, presents a critical opportunity to advance the climate–ocean nexus.
He also pointed out that, as host country of the International Seabed Authority and the only Caribbean small island developing state represented on the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, “Jamaica reaffirms its commitment to championing ocean governance within the multilateral arena”
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