The Centre for International Maritime Affairs, Ghana (CIMAG), has been formally granted Special Consultative Status by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
The granting of the Consultative Status to CIMAG followed ECOSOC’s adoption of the recommendation of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) at its Coordination and Management meeting of June 2023.

“Your status now entitles you to designate official representatives to the United Nations Headquarters in New York and the United Nations offices in Geneva and Vienna,” the letter notifying CIMAG of the granting of the Consultative status stated.

The granting of Special Consultative Status will allow CIMAG to register for and participate in events, conferences and activities of the United Nations, as well as sit as observers at public meetings of the ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies, the General Assembly, the Human Rights Council and other United Nations intergovernmental decision-making bodies.

ECOSOC serves as the central mechanism for the activities of the United Nations system and its specialised agencies. It supervises the subsidiary and expert bodies in the economic, social and environmental fields.

ECOSOC is one of the six main organs of the United Nations and is the principal body for coordination, policy review, policy dialogue and recommendations on economic, social and environmental issues, as well as for implementation of the internationally agreed development goals.

Over the years, CIMAG has been engaging with the human rights Council and Committee and working with relevant UN agencies in promoting the ocean’s role in sustainable development and in the promotion of the Blue Economy (Maritime) sector.

“The granting of Special Consultative Status at the UN is a welcome development that will further facilitate and strengthen CIMAG’s engagement with the UN on matters of promoting Sustainable Development, Ocean Business (Blue Economy) and Maritime Transportation in Africa and globally,” said Albert Derrick Fiatui, Executive Director of CIMAG.