Jamaica this week marked 50 years of membership in the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), with Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Kamina Johnson Smith stressing that shipping underpins global supply chains in everyday commerce and in times of crisis.

Delivering the keynote at Tuesday’s opening ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary, she reaffirmed the island’s commitment to the body. The event was held under the theme “Jamaica and the IMO: 50 Years Advancing Safe, Secure and Sustainable Shipping”.

“For 50 years, the IMO has been a platform through which Jamaica has contributed, learned, and led. As we look ahead, our resolve is unchanged: to champion the interests of small island developing states and the value of multilateralism, to uphold global maritime standards, and to protect our shared oceans. May the next 50 years of Jamaica’s partnership with the IMO be marked by collaboration, innovation, and sustainable progress for all,” Johnson Smith said.