VISIT | Dr Mohammed Ismail, Representative of PERSGA/ EMARSGA to discuss ways for future synergies between the two Centers. – Apr 18, 2023
The Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) has received the visit of Dr Mohammed Ismail, Representative of the Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea & Gulf of Aden (PERSGA/ EMARSGA) on 28-29 March 2023 for a bi-lateral consultation on maritime environment conservation and Pollution Prevention and Preparedness.
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What is PERSGA/EMARSGA ? As REMPEC, the Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden PERSGA/ EMARSGA) has also a mandate to preserve marine environment. This intergovernmental body is in fact specifically dedicated to the conservation of the coastal and marine environments found in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aqaba, Gulf of Suez, Suez Canal, and Gulf of Aden surrounding the Socotra Archipelago and nearby waters. PERSGA’s member states include: Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. |
Presentation of REMPEC main activities and further synergies between the two Centers :
Applied to different seas, REMPEC and PERSGA/ EMARSGA are sharing common areas of expertise prerogatives such as preventing and responding to marine pollution, climate change mitigation, marine litter, capacity building, pollution prevention for biodiversity protection or raising awareness.
Thus, this visit was an opportunity to present and cross our respective perspectives on our mutual activities at sea. The interim Head of Office of REMPEC intervened to offer a substantial overview on REMPEC History, mandate, international and Legal Framework and activities related to the Mediterranean Strategy (2022-2031).
As we share common prevention interests, the dedicated Programme Officer started a discussion on the recent Mediterranean Network of Law Enforcement Officials relating to MARPOL within the framework of the Barcelona Convention (MENELAS) breakthrough. Related to the latest event organized by REMPEC, some sights were also shared on the Ballast Water Management Convention and the harmonisation of procedures in the Mediterranean pursuant to the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention. Finally, as an important topic for 2023 regional and international agenda, the Mediterranean Sea Emission Control Area for Sulphur Oxides and Particular Matter (Med SOX ECA) allowed interesting thoughts.
The OPRC activities represented an important topic of the visit, led by the Programme Officer dedicated to OPRC. After a presentation of the organisation, preparedness and response, emergencies, data sharing and reporting activities the first day, was organised a visit on the second day. On the site of the Marine Operations & Incident Response Unit, Dr Ismail had the opportunity to liaise meet the Ports & Yachting Directorate Marine Operations and Incident Response Unit representatives from Transport Malta. This led to the VTS station, on-Shore Power Supply Project and EMSA Stand-by Oil Spill Response Vessel visit which are important marine infrastructure for related to OPRC in Malta.
The dynamic of the discussions on the different topics covered and the quality of the views exchanged enables the two Centers to go further in the synergies spotted during the visit and engage possible collaborations in the future, learning lessons from our respective processes regionally implemented.
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More information about REMPEC activities and PERSGA/EMARSGA:
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