EMARSGA (The Emergency Mutual Aid Centre in RSGA):
Rationale
The legal framework for the EMARSGA stems from the Protocol Concerning Regional Co-operation in Combating Pollution by Oil and Other Harmful Substances in Cases of Emergency (1982) together with Jeddah Convention. Under this Protocol, a Marine Emergency Mutual Aid Centre (EMARSGA) is to be established. A meeting at Alexandria in November 1989 decided that this would be set up at Hurgada, Egypt. The Protocol lays out the terms and functions of the EMARSGA Centre Accordingly.
Objectives:
- Strengthen the capacities of Member States and facilitate co-operation among them in order to timely and effectively combat pollution by oil and other harmful substances in cases of marine emergencies.
- Assist Member States in developing their own national capabilities to combat pollution by oil and other harmful substances and co-ordinate and facilitate information exchange, technological co-operation and training.
Functions:
Collect and disseminate to Member States information concerning matters such as:
- Laws, regulations and information concerning appropriate authorities of the Member States and marine emergency con¬tingency plans.
- Information available to the Member States concerning methods, techniques and research relating to marine emergency responses.
- List of experts, equipment and materials available for marine emergency responses by the Member States.
Assist Member States, as requested, in:
- The preparation of relevant laws and regulations.
- The preparation of marine emergency contingency plans.
- The establishment of procedures under which personnel, equip¬ment and materials involved in marine emergency responses may be expeditiously transported into, out of, and through the territories of the Member States.
- The transmission to the Contracting Parties of reports concern¬ing marine emergencies.
- Promotion and development of training programmes for combating pollution.
Co-ordinate training programmes for combating pollution and prepare comprehensive anti-pollution manuals.
Develop and maintain a communication/information system appropriate to the needs of the Member States and the Centre for the prompt exchange of information concerning marine emergencies.
Prepare inventories of the available personnel, materials, vessels, aircraft, and other specialized equipment for marine emergency responses.
Establish and maintain liaison with competent regional and in¬ternational organizations for the purposes of obtaining and exchanging scientific and technological information and data, particularly with regard to any new technology which may assist the Centre in the performance of its functions
Host Agreement and Launching of the EMARSGA Centre:
The EMARSGA Host Agreement between PERSGA and the State Ministry for Environment in Egypt; was signed in 14 October 2003. In accordance with this Agreement the Egyptian Environment Affairs Agency (EEAA) has allocated the fourth floor of its building at Hurghada to host the EMARSGA , on the other hand, has appointed the director and the deputy, and furnished the Centre with the necessary office equipment. The official inauguration of the EMARSGA was on the 20th of May 2006.
EMARSGA
A workshop held in Hurghada coincided with the launching of the EMARSGA office in 2006, entitled “Contingency Planning and the Role of EMARSGA”. The workshop put forward recommendations for the implementation of a Regional Action Plan, discussed the activation of EMARSGA, and confirmed the importance of the implementation of IMO Conventions relating to the protection of the Marine Environment.