Mr.Shinichi KITAJIMA, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary,
was designated as the Chairperson of the Council of the IOM

23,November 2009

Mr. Shinichi KITAJIMA, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Japan to the International Organizations in Geneva was designated as the Chairperson of the Council of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) at the beginning of the 98th session of the Council on Monday 23rd November.

This is the first time that a Japanese person has been appointed Chairperson of the Council of the IOM, to which Japan acceded in 1993.

The Chairperson of the IOM Council performs the role of chairperson in the meetings of the Council, the Standing Committee and informal meetings of the IOM and is expected to take the initiative to make progress on issues such as the Structural Review and the budget in close cooperation with the Secretariat

Ambassador KITAJIMA began serving as the First Vice-Chairperson last November and his current selection as the Chairperson is a promotion from the office of First Vice-Chairperson.

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