Timor-Leste National Maritime Transport Policy Workshop Delivered Virtually
The Small Island Developing State of Timor-Leste benefited from a virtual workshop from 21-24 September on how to formulate and develop a national maritime transport policy (NMTP). The NMTP concept is being promoted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as a good governance practice to guide planning, decision making and legislation in the maritime sector and as a key driver for a country's sustainable development. The workshop was originally scheduled to be physically delivered in Timor-Leste last March but was delivered virtually due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Some 20 participants from various ministries, departments, agencies and other stakeholders participated in the training. This technical assistance activity is organized by IMO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Transports and Communications of Timor-Leste and in close cooperation with the National Directorate for Maritime Transport (DNTM) of Timor-Leste and the German Development Cooperation, Ambero Project. The workshop was facilitated by the World Maritime University (WMU) and IMO.
At the request of IMO, WMU made modifications to the existing Training Package that contains an Instructor’s Manual with nine modules for the 3-Day Workshop and five sessions for the One-Day Seminar, as well as a Manual for Pedagogics, to accommodate the online delivery by electronic means. The topics covered included Defining and Designing Transport Maritime Policy, Strategies and Objectives, the Development Process, clarifying the role of International Maritime Law and its integration in policy making, Economic Maritime Setting and delineating national priorities, Environmental Rationale and mainstreaming it into the policy process, Safety and Security factors and recognizing the value of Seafarers in maritime policy. The instructors on behalf of WMU were Professors Max Mejia and George Theocharidis.
IMO and WMU have cooperated on the delivery of the NMTP Training Package to several countries since 2016, including Antigua and Barbuda, Cambodia, Chile, Fiji, Georgia, Ghana, Kenya, Mexico, Myanmar, Nigeria, Seychelles, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and Thailand. This was the first time that the programme was delivered virtually and it was also the first activity of TCD that was delivered in such a mode.
WMU’s delivery of the programme reflects its capacity building mission and a commitment to the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, in particular, Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development and Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
Find out more about the National Maritime Transport Policy concept, what it is and how it works, by watching IMO’s NMTP video, here.