Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian State Audit Board has been appointed the external auditor of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the 2020-2023 period, besting Britain and Italy at the IMO Assembly held in London Friday, November 29. Indonesia is the first Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states to become IMO’s external auditor, Foreign Minister Retno P Marsudi said during a press conference in Jakarta Saturday.
Seventy-five out of 142 IMO member states voted for Indonesia and 64 countries voted for Britain, while three countries abstained, she said.
The election was conducted in two rounds. In the first round, Indonesia gained 64 votes, leaving Britain behind in second place with 45 votes and Italy in third place with 24.
In the second round, Indonesia won the majority votes with 75, well above the minimum required to elect the auditor. Britain gained 64 of the total votes while three countries abstained, she said.
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Indonesia fielded a team consisting of not only Indonesian diplomats stationed in London but also from Jakarta, including senior diplomats led by Ambassador Rahmat Budiman to lobby the IMO member states before the elections, Retno said.
BPK Chief Agung Firman Sampurna expressed gratitude to the Indonesian delegation that helped convince IMO members over the election of the Indonesian State Audit Board (BPK). (INE)
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