1. International Hydrographic Organization
Structure and Decision-Making Processes

2. Inter-governmental Organisation
Established 1921
Host Nation (depository) - Monaco
80 Member States
Secretariat (President, 2 Directors, 18 Staff)
Committees and Working Groups (M/S)

3. Member States ALGERIA ARGENTINA AUSTRALIA BAHRAIN BANGLADESH BELGIUM
BRAZIL
CANADA
CHILE
CHINA
COLOMBIA
CROATIA
CUBA
CYPRUS
DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC
OF KOREA
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
OF CONGO
DENMARK
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
ECUADOR
EGYPT
ESTONIA
FIJI
FINLAND
FRANCE
GERMANY
GREECE
GUATEMALA
ICELAND
INDIA
INDONESIA
IRAN
IRELAND
ITALY
JAMAICA
JAPAN
KUWAIT
LATVIA
MALAYSIA
MAURITIUS
MEXICO
MONACO
MOROCCO
MOZAMBIQUE
MYANMAR
NETHERLANDS
NEW ZEALAND
NIGERIA
NORWAY
OMAN
PAKISTAN
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
PERU
PHILIPPINES
POLAND
PORTUGAL
QATAR
REPUBLIC OF KOREA
REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
ROMANIA
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
SAUDIA ARABIA
SERBIA
SINGAPORE
SLOVENIA
SOUTH AFRICA
SPAIN
SRI LANKA
SURINAME
SWEDEN
SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC
THAILAND
TONGA
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
TUNISIA
TURKEY
UKRAINE
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN
AND NORTHERN IRELAND
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
URUGUAY
VENEZUELA

4. 13 Regional Hydrographic Commissions
ORGANISATION
13 Regional Hydrographic Commissions
International Hydrographic Conference
every 5 years
SPWG
WEND
CHRIS
SPWG
Finance
Capacity Building Tides
Survey Standards
Hydrographic Dictionary
IHO-FIG Standards for Surveyors ……
annually
DPSWG
C&SMWG
TSMAD
CSPCWG
SNPWG
SubWGs
HCIWWWG
MSDIWG
as required
CHRIS - Committee on Hydrographic Requirements for Information Systems

5. International Hydrographic Conference
ORGANISATION
International Hydrographic Conference
1 January 2009
IRCC
Inter-regional coordination Committee
HSSC
Hydrographic Services and Standards Committee
RHCs & HCA
CPRNW
IAB
Capacity Building Program
DPSWG
C&SMWG
TSMAD
CSPCWG
SNPWG
HCIWWWG
MSDIWG
TIDES
Dictionary
Manual on Hydrography
et cetera
ABLOS
HGE
HGMIO

6. Hierarchy International Hydrographic Conference CHRIS ( → HSSC )
( - IHO Work programme, Budget)
CHRIS ( → HSSC )
( - CHRIS Work programme)
Working Groups
[Sub Working Groups]

7. Roles CHRIS (HSSC) is the IHO Technical Steering Committee that
monitors technical developments and requirements
sets and monitors technical work programme
considers proposals
assesses priorities and resources
recommends technical solutions to IHO
seeks approvals as required

8. Roles
WG’s carry out CHRIS work items and produce or contribute to - standards - guidelines - technical solutions ….. as required

9. IHO Participation M/S represented by official government delegates
NGIO’s speak for non-government interests and can participate as observers
Technical WG’s may invite “technical experts” to participate as observers

10. Decision Making
IHO decisions are made by consulting ALL IHO M/S
Committees and WGs only make recommendations – so consensus is required
IHO Voting represents a government position
Majorities vary according to subject:
2/3 of all M/S
simple majority of all MS
for Technical Matters: at least 38 M/S must vote affirmative

11. So…..let us begin ……….

12. International Hydrographic Organization
Structure and Decision-Making Processes