Sustainable management of the world’s oceans will be crucial to the world’s development, Indonesia’s president Joko Widodo said today in an address to the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee in London. 

“Indonesia believes the future of global prosperity depends on how we manage the sea. And that future can be secured by taking care of the sea as our common heritage. We can do this through international cooperation, including at the IMO,” Widodo (pictured, left) told assembled delegates from 107 member states and 53 non-governmental organisations (NGOs). 

“We realise the sustainable use of maritime resources must be done for the benefit of our people. We are aware it is our responsibility as a member of international society to ensure maritime sustainability. We also realize that as a power between two oceans we must take part in ensuring the safety of international navigation. In this context, Indonesia sees the IMO and our membership in the IMO as important,” the president continued.

Widodo used his speech to outline Indonesia’s national strategy for maritime development and confirm his support for IMO. Indonesia last year ratified the Ballast Water Management Convention and will continue to play an active role at the organisation, Widodo said. 

“I am most grateful to the president for taking time from his busy schedule to visit IMO and speak to our delegates. IMO has had clear and demonstrable success over many decades in making shipping safer, cleaner, more efficient and more secure and I hope to find ways to extend IMO’s values and achievements more widely throughout the global supply chain,” Kitack Lim, secretary-general of the IMO (pictured, right), said of president Widodo’s visit. 

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