International Maritime Organisation Elects 40-Member Council To Shape Global Maritime Governance

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

December 2, 2025

Overview

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has unveiled its newly elected 40-member Council, underscoring a balanced representation of nations integral to global shipping, trade, and maritime regulation. This decisive move reinforces the IMO’s commitment to fostering international maritime collaboration.

Diverse Maritime Perspectives

The Council remains structured into three distinct categories. Category (a) comprises nations with major interests in international shipping services, including China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Norway, Panama, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In parallel, Category (b) brings together key players in global seaborne trade, with Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates at the forefront.

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Cyprus’s Strategic Position

Positioned within Category (c), Cyprus alongside other nations such as Bahamas, Belgium, Chile, Egypt, Finland, Indonesia, Jamaica, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Peru, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, and Türkiye, highlights those States with specific maritime interests. For Cyprus, this election solidifies its status as a prominent flag State and an influential participant in shaping maritime policy. The country’s Deputy Ministry of Shipping has consistently emphasized the critical nature of this representation for advancing priorities in safety, decarbonisation, and seafarer welfare.

Looking Ahead

As the Council prepares to convene for its 136th session on December 4, key decisions, including the selection of its Chair and Vice-Chair for the 2026–2027 biennium, lie ahead. Immediately following the Assembly, the newly elected Council will embark on its inaugural act: the appointment of its Bureau for the forthcoming two-year term, setting the course for continued strategic oversight in global maritime affairs.

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Nearly 80% Of Cyprus’ Foreign Investment Came From Outside EU In 2025

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

November 11, 2026

Cyprus had the highest share of foreign direct investment (FDI) originating outside the European Union among 14 EU member states reporting data for 2025. According to Eurostat, non-EU economies accounted for 79.4% of the island’s inward FDI, highlighting its distinct position among the reporting countries.

The figures contrast with most other EU economies, where investment from within the bloc remains the main source of foreign capital.

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Cyprus Leads In Non-EU Investment Share

Eurostat measures inward FDI positions by the ultimate investing economy, identifying the economy where the investment ultimately originates rather than only the country through which it is channelled. This distinction is important when investments involve subsidiaries or intermediary holding companies.

In nine of the 14 reporting countries, most foreign investment came from within the EU. The Czech Republic recorded the highest intra-EU share, at 75.1%, followed by Romania at 73.3% and Estonia at 64.8%.

Cyprus was among five countries where non-EU economies accounted for more than half of inward FDI. Spain, Sweden, Greece and Denmark also recorded shares above 50%, ranging from 51% to 55.1%.

US Is The Largest Source Of FDI Across Reporting Countries

Across the 14 countries collectively, the United States was the largest ultimate source of foreign direct investment, accounting for 15.4% of the total.

Germany ranked second at 11.5%, followed by France at 9.4%, the United Kingdom at 9.3% and Switzerland at 5.8%.

These figures reflect the combined investment positions of the reporting countries and do not identify Cyprus’s leading individual investment sources. However, the country-level data underline the island’s strong reliance on capital originating outside the European Union.