Kiri

Dear Hydrographer, Please find attached herewith : CL 1/2017 : REPORT ON THE STATUS OF THE CONVENTION AND MEMBERSHIP OF THE ORGANIZATION Yours sincerely, IHB M.MOLLET IHO File No. S1/0100 CIRCULAR LETTER 01/2017 05 January 2017 REPORT ON THE STATUS OF THE CONVENTION AND MEMBERSHIP OF THE ORGANIZATION References: A. IHO CL 41/2016 dated 23 August - Date of entry into force of the Amendments to the Convention on the IHO and its supporting Documents B. IHO CL 32/2015 dated 13 April - Applications for Membership of the IHO from the Republic of Malta and the Republic of Vanuatu C. IHO CL 62/2015 dated 26 August - Republic of the Congo and the Solomon Islands - Applications for Membership of the IHO Dear Hydrographer, 1. The Secretary-General, Directors and staff of the IHO Secretariat are pleased to take advantage of this first Circular Letter of the year to renew their very best wishes for 2017 to all the IHO Member States and are looking forward to another busy and fruitful year for the International Hydrographic Organization. Below we provide an update on the status of the Convention and membership of the Organization as of 31 December 2016. Convention on the IHO 2. As reported at Reference A, the Protocol of Amendments to the Convention on the IHO approved in 2005 entered into force on 8 November 2016, together with the associated new editions of the basic documents of the Organization. 3. The Government of the Principality of Monaco, as Depository of the Convention, is in the process of notifying the entry into force of the Protocol to all Governments Parties to the Convention through diplomatic channels. In accordance with Article XVI of the Convention as amended, the Government of Monaco has also undertaken to register the Protocol with the Secretariat of the United Nations. Status of Membership 4. In accordance with Article XX (a) of the Convention as amended, the Convention is now open for accession by any State that is a member of the United Nations. The Convention shall enter into force for such a State on the date on which it has deposited its instrument of accession with the Depositary. 5. Congo, Malta, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, which applied for membership under the previous regime (see References B and C), have been invited to deposit their Instrument of Accession at their earliest convenience. 6. No new accession has been registered in 2016. There are currently 85 Members States of the IHO, with three States being suspended and not entitled to vote. Yours sincerely, Robert WARD Secretary-General