The Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization, Kitack Lim has presented an award of honour to Dr. Kofi Mbiah for distinguished service to the International Maritime Organization for nearly two decades.
In a speech to mark the closing ceremony of the 104th Session of the Legal Committee – one of the main committees through which the IMO carries out its work, the Secretary General paid glowing tribute to Dr. Mbiah and recalled his contributions as a delegate to the Legal Committee several years ago.
He said his contributions during debates in the Legal Committee depicted him as an astute legal luminary well versed in international maritime law.
Lim said before Dr. Mbiah was elected to the position of chairman of the Committee, he had made significant contributions to the work of IMO. He referred in particular to Dr. Mbiah’s work as Chairman of the Drafting Committee at the Diplomatic conference for adoption of the 2002 Protocol to the Athens Convention on the carriage of Passengers and their luggage by sea.
The Secretary General of IMO also indicated that amongst others, Dr. Mbiah served as one of the Vice Presidents at the Diplomatic Conference for the adoption of the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks 2007, and was chairman of Committee One at the 29th IMO Assembly. He said Dr. Mbiah’s work span several years in which he has made significant contribution to the work of IMO.
He also mentioned that Dr. Mbiah chaired the meetings of the Committee with dexterity and efficiency providing humour sometimes in very intractable debates.
