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IHO File No S1/5072 CIRCULAR LETTER 02/2017 09 January 2017 GRANTING OF OBSERVER STATUS TO THE ASSOCIATION OF ARCTIC EXPEDITION CRUISE OPERATORS AS A NON-GOVERNMENTAL INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION References: A. IHO CL 60/2016 dated 2 November - Application from the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators to be granted Observer status as Non-Governmental International Organization B. IHO Resolution 5/1957 as amended – IHO Relations with other Organizations Dear Hydrographer, 1. The Secretariat of the IHO is pleased to report that the proposal to grant observer status to the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) as a Non-Governmental International Organization (NGIO) contained in the Circular Letter at Reference A has raised no objection from the Member States. 2. The Secretariat thanks the following 15 Member States that expressed explicitly their support for the proposal: Algeria, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Italy, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Portugal and United Kingdom. Chile, Morocco, Nigeria, Norway and Peru provided comments that are reproduced at Annex A. 3. In accordance with the Resolution at Reference B, the Secretariat will include the AECO in the list of accredited observers to the IHO and will inform the Executive Director of its status as an Observer organization to the IHO. Yours sincerely, Robert WARD Secretary-General Annex A: Member States’ responses to IHO CL 60/2016  Annex A to IHO CL 02/2017 IHO File No S1/5072 MEMBER STATES’ RESPONSES TO IHO CL 60/2016 Application from the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) to be granted Observer status as a Non-Governmental International Organization CHILE: We support granting AECO the Observer status to the IHO as an International Non-Governmental Organization. We are confident that their commitment shall contribute to the IHO’s mission and objectives. MOROCCO: We support the proposal to grant observer status to the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) as a Non-Governmental International Organization (NGIO). We believe that the responsibilities and functions of the AECO are in accordance with those of the IHO. NIGERIA: Nigeria supports the accreditation of Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) to observer status as a Non-Governmental International Organization (NGIO). Considering the fact that AECO is a non-profit organization and has made remarkable achievements to the growth of hydrography as well as undertaken to support the activities of IHO in accordance with the IHO regulations. There is no objection to their accreditation to an observer status as a NGIO. It is hoped that their accreditation will create a better synergy between the two bodies towards the improvement of hydrographic activities. NORWAY: Norway strongly supports the application by AECO. AECO represents a growing group of stakeholders that sail in in the uncharted or badly charted waters of the Arctic. They can provide the Arctic HO’s with valuable end-user feedback information and we can investigate in crowd sourced bathymetry opportunities to help us as an Arctic Hydrographic community to use all available means to increase and share our knowledge of the Arctic ocean, sea and coastal water seafloor. By granting AECO observer status, they can better inform their members about the status, challenges and progress of nautical charting in the Arctic and how they might be able to contribute. At the HCA meeting in Tromsø last June, we had valuable input from IAATO, representing cruise ship tourism to Antarctic. AECO can have that role for the Arctic. PERU: This Directorate considers convenient to grant the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) the Observer Status, as they have objectives and functions that are consistent with and complementary to the objectives of the International Hydrographic Organization. Dear Hydrographer, Please find attached the following Circular Letter: CL 02/2017: GRANTING OF OBSERVER STATUS TO AECO AS A NGIO Kind regards IHO Secretariat