WMU and President Doumbia-Henry Featured by The Maritime Executive

The July/August 2021 issue of The Maritime Executive features an introduction to the work of the World Maritime University (WMU) as well as a special interview with Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, WMU President. 

Beginning on page 47, the WMU feature highlights the mission of the University and its impact by educating maritime and ocean leaders at the postgraduate level, undertaking research, and building capacity in support of the global maritime and ocean industries. As a centre of excellence in maritime and oceans education, WMU is also dedicated to supporting the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goals 4- education, 13 - climate change and 14 - oceans.

The interview with President Doumbia-Henry begins on page 54. She is the first female President of WMU, as well as the first from a developing country. Prior to joining WMU in mid-2015, she served in a number of capacities at the International Labour Organization (ILO), culminating in her role as Director of the International Labour Standards Department. During her 30-year long service at the ILO, she was responsible for spearheading the consolidation of 68 out of 72 ILO Conventions and related Recommendations into a  single instrument - Maritime Labour Convention, 2006  (MLC), which has already been amended three times. The MLC is today a flagship instrument protecting seafarers’ rights, including during the COVID-19 pandemic with over 200,000 seafarers still remaining captive at sea. Dr. Doumbia-Henry remains a strong advocate for seafarers’ rights and has written many articles on the subject. She has been championing the efforts to recognize seafarers as “key workers”. They are responsible for moving 90% of world trade and have continued to undertake their functions during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, thereby enabling the global supply chain to remain open. 

To access the electronic version of the magazine, click here.

In addition to the magazine, the most recent IN THE KNOW Maritime Executive podcast features President Doumbia-Henry speaking about WMU and her vision for the University. To access the podcast, click here.