The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO has elected Dr Yutaka Michida, from the University of Tokyo, Japan, as IOC/UNESCO Chairperson for the 2023-2025 biennium.
UNESCO
Dr Michida's election took place during the 32nd session of the IOC/UNESCO Assembly held at the UNESCO Headquarters, on Wednesday, 28 June 2023. The Nominations Committee composed of twenty-nine IOC Member States representing all five IOC electoral groups, meticulously reviewed the candidatures for the position of Chairperson and five Vice-Chairpersons of the Commission, and facilitated a vote by the 150 IOC Member States.
The Chair of the Nominations Committee, Mr Frederico Antonio Saraiva Nogueira (Brazil), expressed the Committee’s gratitude for the high level of cooperation and consensual spirit exhibited by all delegations, resulting in a clean slate of candidates and an election for Chairperson by acclamation rather than by a vote.
In assuming the position of Chairperson, Dr Michida expressed his gratitude for the trust placed in him and pledged to work tirelessly towards the achievement of the IOC's objectives.
“It is my greatest honour to be elected as the Chairperson of the IOC for the next 2 years. We are now in the midst of implementation of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. I will faithfully take the responsibility to promote the Decade and related activities of the Commission, as well as those of its core functions including emerging ocean-related issues, based on the spirit of ‘One Planet, One Ocean’ and with full engagement of all Member States”, said Dr Michida.
The first Japanese national to Chair the IOC/UNESCO, Dr Yutaka Michida is a distinguished professor at the University of Tokyo who has been actively involved in the field of oceanography for nearly 40 years. He has been recognized for his outstanding achievements and contributions to international marine science cooperation, including as recipient of the Japanese Prime Minister’s “Promoting Japan as a maritime nation Award” and the "IOC/WESTPAC Outstanding Scientists Award” in 2015.
Dr. Michida has played a crucial role in developing systems to warn and protect against tsunamis, and he has helped establish coordination systems in different parts of the world. In 2015, he was elected as a co-chair for the IOC/UNESCO International Oceanographic Data and information Exchange (IODE), the first person from an Asian country to hold this position. Dr. Michida has been dedicated to promoting cooperation among countries in the Western Pacific and nearby regions, and he has been influential in managing ocean data and information in Japan, through active involvement in the IOC/UNESCO Sub-commission for the Western Pacific and Adjacent Areas (WESTPAC). In Japan, he played a key role in the establishment of the Marine Information Clearing House (MICH) and Marine Cadastre.
Under the IOC/UNESCO Rules of Procedure, Dr Yutaka Michida was declared elected as the Chairperson of the IOC/UNESCO, with a mandate of two years (2023-2025) starting immediately following the official close of the IOC/UNESCO 32nd Assembly, which is expected to end on Friday 30 June 2023.
Ariel Troisi, outgoing Chair of the Commission and formerly representative of Argentina to IOC/UNESCO, welcomed the results of the election. “Dr Yutaka Michida brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new role as Chairperson of the IOC/UNESCO. His leadership and dedication to advancing marine sciences will contribute significantly to the IOC's mission of promoting international cooperation and sustainable development of ocean resources”, he said.
Beyond Dr Michida as Chairperson, the IOC/UNESCO Assembly also elected the five Vice-Chairpersons of the Commission:
- Marie-Alexandrine Sicre (France) - Electoral Group 1
- Nikolay Valchev (Bulgaria) - Electoral Group 2
- Juan Camilo Forero Hauzeur (Colombia) - Electoral Group 3
- Srinivasa Kumar Tummala (India) - Electoral Group 4
- Amr Zakaria Hamouda (Egypt) - Electoral Group 5
Dr Vladimir Ryabinin, Executive Secretary of the IOC/UNESCO, warmly congratulated Dr Michida on behalf of the IOC Secretariat, “We look forward to Dr Michida’s and our Vice-Chairs’ leadership and guidance in bringing together governments and the science community on the road towards the ocean we need for the future we want”
In addition to electing the Chairperson and Vice Chairs, the IOC/UNESCO elected the Executive Council for the period 2023-2025:
IOC Executive Council
- Group 1: Canada, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Türkiye, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America
- Group 2: Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine
- Group 3: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Grenada, Panama, Peru
- Group 4: Australia, Bangladesh, China, Cook Islands, India, Japan, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Thailand
- Group 5: Congo, Egypt, Kenya, Gabon, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Togo
(Source IOC/UNESCO)
