International Waters learning Exchange & Resource Network

Western Indian Ocean Islands Oil Spill Contingency Planning

The projects objective is to protect the environmental integrity and globally significant biodiversity of a large, biologically rich and relatively pristine part of the Western Indian Ocean from the risks and consequences of oil spills, particularly major (Tier 3) spills. It will achieve this by helping the small island states of Comoros, Mauritius, Madagascar and Seychelles comply with the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation (OPRC). The project?s specific objectives are to:

  • (a) establish the legal and institutional frameworks in each country that are needed for them to comply with the relevant international marine pollution conventions, including the OPRC;CLC 92 and the FUND of 1992
  • (b) prepare and test both national and regional oil spill contingency plans;
  • (c) develop appropriate national and regional oil spill response capacity; and
  • (d) establish a sustainable financing mechanism and public/private sector collaborative arrangements for oil spill response.

The project will be implemented jointly by the oil industry and the four participating governments, coordinated by the Indian Ocean Commission, and assisted by the International Maritime Organization, South Africa and France.

The project activities are progressing well according to the Project Implementation Plan (PIP). The selected candidates to attend the nine month training on International Maritime Laws at the International Maritime Law Institute (Malta) have completed this training. The workshop on international maritime conventions and on sensitivity mapping have been successfully carried out in Cape Town and Mauritius in June/July 1999. All four countries have ratified or launched the process for ratification of the three relevant international maritime conventions. The legal TA to review the national legislation is to be recruited by IOC. The project launching seminar has been carried out in Madagascar in July 1999. The first meeting of the Steering Committee was held in October 1999 in Seychelles and coincided with the oil spill response exercises carried out by Seychelles at Victoria. The Mid-Term Review was carried out in December 2000 and was attended by all partners in the project (beneficiary countries, IOC, WB, IPIECA, IMO, UNEP, Reunion Island, South Africa). As of November 30, 2000, some $600,000 of the total amount of the Grant were committed and $578,000 disbursed.

Toxic Substances

Agulhas Current (LME) , Indian Ocean


TDA/SAP
No items found...

Documents & Resources
General information
GEF ID 533
IBRD ID 36037
Project type Full-Size Project
Status closed (Project Closure)
Start Date 17 des. 1998
End Date 30 jun. 2004
GEF characteristic:
Focal Area International Waters
GEF Allocation to project USD 2,814,000
Total Cost of the project: USD 3,937,000
Partners
Comoros , Madagascar , Mauritius , Seychelles , Regional

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (WB)


Project contacts
Raj Prayag Project Regional Coordinator
John Fraser Stewart Senior Natural Resources Specialist