Exceptional Meeting of the Competent National Authorities in charge of the implementation of the Sub-Regional Contingency Plan between Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia for the Preparation for and the Response to Marine Pollution from Ships for the South-Western Mediterranean – Valletta, Malta, 1 - 2 November 2017 – Nov 01, 2017

    Exceptional Meeting of the Competent National Authorities in charge of the implementation of the Sub-Regional Contingency Plan between Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia for the Preparation for and the Response to Marine Pollution from Ships for the South-Western Mediterranean – Valletta, Malta, 1 - 2 November 2017

    The Exceptional Meeting of the competent national authorities in charge of the implementation of the Sub-Regional Contingency Plan between Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia for the Preparation for and the Response to Marine Pollution from Ships for the South-Western Mediterranean, was held in the offices of the Regional Marine Pollution for Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) in Valletta, Malta from 1 to 2 November 2017.

    The Meeting was organized by REMPEC pursuant to the Programme of Work and Budget for 2016-2017 of the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment), also referred to as UN Environment/MAP, adopted by the Nineteenth Ordinary Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (“the Barcelona Convention”) and its Protocols (COP 19), which was convened in Athens, Greece from 9 to 12 February 2016. The meeting was funded by the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP).

    The general objective of the Meeting was to set up the necessary bases to ensure the relaunch of the Annual Meetings of the Competent National Authorities in charge of the implementation of the Sub-Regional Contingency Plan between Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia for the Preparation and the Response to the marine pollution from Ships in the South-western Mediterranean.

    The Meeting reviewed the Conclusions and Recommendations of the 4th Meeting of the National Operational Authorities in charge of the implementation of the Sub-Regional Contingency Plan between Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia for the Preparation and the Response to the marine pollution from Ships in the South-western Mediterranean. It also reviewed and discussed a draft 2018-2019 Programme of Sub-Regional Activities and other relevant topics under the agreement.

    From left to right: Mr Malek Smaoui, OPRC Programme Officer (REMPEC), Mr Raouf Hadj Aissa, Deputy Director at the Ministry of the Environment and Renewable Energies (Algeria), Ms Michelle Mangion, Assistant to the Head of Office (REMPEC), Ms Naoual Zoubair, Head of Shoreline Department at the Secretariat of State in charge of the Sustainable Development (Morocco), Mr Franck Lauwers, Prevention Programme Officer (REMPEC), Mr Gabino Gonzalez, Head of Office (REMPEC), and Ms Marthese Mifsud, Secretary / Administrative assistant (REMPEC)