ACL 11/2016

IHB File No. S1/6000/2017 ASSEMBLY CIRCULAR LETTER N° 11 20 October 2016 1st SESSION OF THE IHO ASSEMBLY Monaco, 24-28 April 2017 ______ SELECTION OF CHAIR OF THE 1st SESSION OF THE IHO ASSEMBLY References: A. Assembly Circular Letter No. 8 dated 23 August 2016 B. IHO Convention (Article V. (e) (1)) C. Rules of Procedure of the IHO Assembly (Rule 14) Dear Hydrographer, 1. As announced in Reference A, the revised IHO Convention and new Rules of Procedure of the IHO Assembly (References B and C) will enter into force on 8 November 2016 and the next ordinary meeting of the Organization will take place as the First Session of the IHO Assembly (A-1) which will be held in Monaco from 24 to 28 April 2017. 2. In accordance with References B and C, Member States are invited to submit candidates for election as the Chair of the First Session of the IHO Assembly. However, aiming at facilitating this procedure and following the process that has taken place at several IHO Conferences in the past, the Directing Committee has identified one suitably qualified candidate, Dr Parry OEI, Chief Hydrographer and Director of the Port Services of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, who has expressed his readiness to chair the Assembly. Dr OEI who is currently the Chair of the IHO Inter Regional Coordination Committee (IRCC), has a long and active history of involvement in the work of the IHO and is intimately aware of many of the issues that will be discussed at the Assembly through his position as Chair of the IRCC. Dr OEI has attended previous Hydrographic Conferences, has experience in chairing other inter-governmental meetings and has a good working knowledge of, and ability to speak in one of the two official languages of the Organization. 3. Member States are kindly requested to inform the IHO Secretariat by 30 December 2016 of the names of any other candidates that they may wish to propose as the Chair of the First Session of the IHO Assembly. If this results in more than one nominee being presented, a list of candidates will be circulated to all Member States, so that the Chair of the Assembly may be selected by vote before the Assembly and in enough time for the Chair-elect to properly prepare for their important role as the Chair. The election of the Chair of the Assembly shall be confirmed at the beginning of the session of the Assembly. On behalf of the Directing Committee, Yours sincerely, Robert WARD President