The second regional Knowledge Partnership Workshop in Asia is underway in Bangkok, Thailand (16-20 December). Co-organised by IMO, Thailand’s Ministry of Transport and UNESCAP – the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia – the workshop is designed to support maritime technical cooperation activities in the region.
The workshop brings together officials from transport ministries, responsible for maritime affairs, and finance ministries, responsible for official development assistance. Participants share knowledge, skills and experience and meet maritime and development cooperation counterparts from around the region to seek cooperation opportunities. Increasing awareness of maritime issues and prioritising them in national development plans is another important objective.
The workshop provides a platform for donors to prioritise their interests and identify the needs and demands of recipient countries; and for recipients to have a better understanding of how to access the various resources available to address their needs. Both sides are improving their understanding of each other’s mechanisms for accessing and delivering funding and support.
The workshop is part of IMO’s new long-term strategy on mobilising resources for technical cooperation activities. This embodies a more proactive and methodical approach for generating new resources, encouraging partnerships with IMO Member States, the United Nations system and multilateral development banks, through new and innovative projects. It encourages active communication with potential donors and recipients to highlight the value and benefits of working with IMO and its alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Participating Member States and organizations represented at the workshop are: Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Viet Nam and UNESCAP.
