1. Hopes, Expectations for the IHO Council
Member State Feedback

2. Q1. What are your top goals for the First Council Meeting
Q1. What are your top goals for the First Council Meeting? What will make our first meeting a success?
Serve the Assembly:
Review/revise the Strategic Plan
Reconsider the definition of hydrographic interest
Foster a productive relationship with IRCC, HSSC, Secretariat, Member states-support without disempowering
Develop the Council as an institution
Intentional forming of Council practices (communications, thoughtful engagement during meetings, methods to advance goals between meetings
Consider role of IHO within larger international frameworks (UN, IMO, etc)
IHO contribution to “Seabed 2030”

3. Q2. What specifically would you like the Council to have accomplished by the conclusion of the third Council meeting in 2019?
Demonstrate Council value (eg. complete tasks from Assembly-1; timely support for Assembly-2)
Define a strategic vision and well-articulated strategic plan; Complete the Revision of the Strategic Plan
Progress priorities-- MSDI, CSB, new technologies, Seabed 2030—in a measurable way
Organizational Efficiencies (eg. member state voting by CL as opposed to Council)

4. Q3: How do you hope the new Council will improve the functioning of the IHO?
Minimize bureaucracy; streamline reports and reporting;
Make decision process more flexible between assemblies
Accelerate progress by supporting timely decisions, both in the Assembly and by C/L.
Maturing and coordinating proposals
Tie priorities to resource allocation, and monitor through performance measures
Council addresses difficult issues raised by IRCC, HSSC, and member states

5. Other specific issues raised
Specific concern about pace of S-100 development and adoption. This is a big credibility risk for the IHO.
Increase use of Spanish language in training and communications by IHO. Note large number of Spanish-speaking MS and observers.
Caution about additional activities which put additional strain on the Secretariat, on MS travel budgets, and on Hydrographer time.
Need to modernize IHO communications and outreach (social media, more external focus, etc)
Opportunity to reduce other report-writing requirements?

6. How we will do business? How will we work intercessionally?
Strategic Review Working Group, authorized by the Assembly
Other targeted tasks assigned to individual Council members or small groups of Council members on a voluntary basis?
Referral of issues to Secretariat or IRCC/HSSC
How will we engage with the business side of the IHO?
Budget, Finance committee, personnel
How will we engage with the work programme of the IHO?
Prioritization, Update of WP for next assembly, resourcing of work programme