About the General Assembly / the Committee of Experts / the Specialised committees
The supreme decision-making body of MOWCA is a General Assembly of Ministers of Transport of member States meeting at ordinary sessions every two years and a Extraordinary sessions as necessary.
There are preparatory meetings of Experts of Member States before the sessions of the General Assembly. The experts meetings are chaired by the Chairman of Committee of Experts.
At each ordinary session, a Bureau of Ministers is appointed, made up of a Chairman, two Vice-Chairmen, a Rapporteur and chairmen of three specialised committees :
- Committee on Maritime Safety and Environmental Protection
- Committee on Maritime Transport and auxiliary activities
- Committee on Specific problems of landlocked countries
The Chairman and the Bureau play the role of a Board during the intervening period between ordinary sessions of the General Assembly. MOWCA is serviced by a full time maritime professional elected as Secretary-Genera by the General Assembly of Ministers.
The Secretary-General also heads the Permanent Secretariat of the Organization based at its headquarters in Abidjan. The Permanent Secretariat has Technical, Administrative and Financial functions