Title of the course: 
Training on “On-Scene Commanders’ at Oil Spills, National Contingency Plans and Oil Spill Preparedness and Response”.

Rationale
PERSGA has established the Marine Emergency Mutual Aid Centre (EMARSGA) on the basis of the Protocol concerning Regional Co-operation in Combating Pollution by Oil and Other Harmful Substances in Cases of Emergency annexed to Jeddah Convention of 1982.
The major objective of EMARSGA is to build the capacities of the countries in the region and to coordinate among them in contingency cases as well as to develop their national capabilities in combating oil pollution.

PERSGA organized several workshops on Marine Contingency Planning. The present workshop will be convened to further peruse the objectives of the previous ones, aiming at continuous improvement of the involved regional capacities, and performing regular exercises on communication and equipment deployment during emergencies. 

Objectives
To enhance the capacities of the member countries and to improve the overall performance of the focal points at the regional level with respect to the implementation of the contingency plans during emergencies through:

• Updating information and data
• Performing regular exercises on communication and equipment deployment during emergencies. 

Participants
Participants of this workshop will be the national officials responsible for combating oil pollution in emergencies at the regional level.

The total number of participants is 27.

Date and Duration
The duration of the course is three working days, and it will be conducted during June 20-22, 2009.

Location
PERSGA – EMARSGA, Hurgada, Egypt.

Organizers
The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden – PERSGA .

Language 
The training language is Arabic and English

Training Materials/References

The Regional and National Contingency Plans of the member countries; PERSGA-EMARSGA database; trajectory models

Training Sessions
The agenda of the workshop include:

• Specialized lectures on contingency planning and the Regional Action Plan
• National reports; and updating data and information
• Review the procedure form for pollution accident proclamation at the  national and regional levels
• Discussing the effectiveness and mechanisms of the regional communication network, based on PERSGA-EMARSGA.
• Training on pollutants trajectory models
• Develop the annual schedule for communication and equipment deployment exercises.
• Recommendations

Instructors/Keynote speakers

• Dr. Lindsay Page-Jones, Key Instructor, International Expert, (IMO Experts and Consultants.)
• Capt. M. Ismail, Regional Expert, Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA).

Attachments

Workshop program

List of participants

Photos