IMO Secretary-General William O'Neil was today awarded the Medal "Commandeur de l'Ordre du Mérite Maritime Ivoirien" from the Government of Côte d'Ivoire. The Medal represents the highest distinction of its kind and was presented to the Secretary-General by H.E. Mr. Kobena Innocent Anaky, Minister for Transport of Côte d'Ivoire in London, during the 23rd session of the IMO Assembly.

Côte d'Ivoire has been a member of IMO since 1960 and is a Party to many of the most significant IMO Conventions, including the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS), the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) and the Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).

_______________

IMO - the International Maritime Organization - is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.

Web site: www.imo.org

For further information please contact:
Lee Adamson, Senior External Relations Officer on 020 7587 3153 (media@imo.org) or Natasha Brown, External Relations Officer on 020 7587 3274 (media@imo.org).