DOCSLIB.ORG

National Involvement in the Indian Ocean Region

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
National Involvement in the Indian Ocean Region 5 December 2011 France: National Involvement in the Indian Ocean Region Bruno de Paiva Future Directions International Research Intern Indian Ocean Research Programme Key Points France has traditionally held a high degree of influence in the western Indian Ocean region and uses its cultural ties, external territories and military power to maintain its regional presence. The region is important to France, due to its strategic location and energy security needs. France’s regional influence is under threat from growing economies such as China, India and Brazil. While current French tactics will increase France’s influence in the Indian Ocean region in the short- and medium- terms, it is likely to lose influence over the longer term. Summary France has a long-standing presence in the western Indian Ocean. Despite the loss of its colonial possessions in India, Mauritius, Madagascar and the Seychelles, France retains the territories of La Réunion, Mayotte and the French Southern and Antarctic Territories. The former colony of Djibouti remains economically and militarily close to France, while relations with the United Arab Emirates have progressed to the hosting of a French military base in Abu Dhabi. For France, the Indian Ocean region – or, at least, its western reaches – continues to be of strategic importance. Over the longer term, however, the increasing interest in the region from growing economies, and the potential competition for resources and influence, may very well lead to a reduction in French influence. Analysis French Activities in the Indian Ocean Region Defence Much of France’s activities in the region have been defence related, with Paris operating a number of military bases in the region. France maintains a naval base, Pointe des Galets, on its island départment of La Réunion, east of Madagascar. The base hosts three patrol vessels, a transport ship and a frigate. This helps to ensure that there is a constant French naval base in the Southern Indian Ocean, as well as in close proximity to the sea lines of communication off the southern and eastern coasts of Africa. The overseas départment of Mayotte is home to the 270-strong Détachement de Légion étrangère de Mayotte (Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte, or DLEM). The smallest unit in the Foreign Legion, the DLEM is able to act as a ready reaction force, and contributes to regional security by conducting maritime surveillance in the Mozambique Channel, humanitarian assistance operations, and holding training exercises with the armed forces of neighbouring countries, particularly Madagascar. France also bases members of its armed forces in Djibouti, a former French colony which maintains strong ties with France. The 5th Overseas Interarms Regiment (5e Régiment Interarmes d'Outre-Mer) of the French Army is based in the country. France also bases some of its fighter aircraft at Ambouli airport, the main airport in Djibouti. The military presence in Djibouti ensures France has a constant strategic presence in East Africa, as well as along the crucial sea lines of communication between the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea. The latter reason is highly significant, as it carries the bulk of France’s energy imports. France is a major importer of crude oil, importing just under 1.3 million barrels per day in 2010.1 The United States and Japan also operate bases in Djibouti, further illustrating the strategic significance of the tiny country to Western interests in the region. In 2009, France opened its first foreign base in the Middle East, Camp de la Paix (Peace Camp), in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The base encompasses three military camps: a land base, which houses around 100 troops; a naval base; and an air base at nearby Al- Dhafra, which contains three Mirage 2000-5 multi-role combat aircraft. Based in French Somaliland/Djibouti from 1962, the 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion (13e demi- brigade de la Légion étrangère), was transferred to the UAE on 13 June 2011. Located adjacent to the junction of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, the Abu Dhabi base has increased the French presence in the region and may be used by Paris to help ensure the stability of its energy security requirements from the Persian Gulf. The French bases in La Réunion, Mayotte, Djibouti and the United Arab Emirates have led to a “quadrilatère français” in the Indian Ocean region. This “French quadrilateral” covers the areas of the region that are most significant to France’s interests. These include the south- western section of the Indian Ocean, which contains France’s Southern and Antarctic 1 United States Energy Information Administration, ‘International Energy Statistics - Imports of Crude Oil including Lease Condensate (Thousand Barrels Per Day): France’. <www.eia.gov>. Page 2 of 6 Territories (Territoire des Terres australes et antarctiques françaises), and its former island colonies. It also covers the sea lines of communication from the Middle East to Europe, which includes the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. As a leading military power, France’s military presence in the region – which includes its contributions to the European Union’s Operation Atalanta anti-piracy taskforce – could be drawn upon to ensure that its energy security requirements are addressed. International Relations France maintains warm relations with significant countries in the Indian Ocean region. Chief among them is India. In December 2010, France sold six Scorpène-class conventional diesel- electric submarines to India for US$5 billion and followed a 2005 order from France for six other Scorpènes. Two-way trade between the countries has also been strong, totalling €6 billion in 2010. Both countries aim to double that amount by the end of 2012. France and India signed a bilateral nuclear co-operation agreement in September 2008, which paved the way for co-operation in that field. A notable result of this agreement was a €7 billion deal for France to build two nuclear power plants in India. Bilateral relations between France and Pakistan have also strengthened, particularly since the election of Nicholas Sarkozy to the French Presidency in 2007. Although France announced abruptly in May 2011 that it would stop sales of heavy equipment to Pakistan, bilateral business and trade relations have gained increasing focus. Bilateral France-Pakistan trade totalled €800 million in 2010; this had increased by fifty per cent in the first three months of 2011. A joint business council was formed in May 2011, to aid and further promote Franco-Pakistani trade. Kenya and France have signed a partnership agreement for closer co-operation in the areas of international security, climate change, economic partnership, development aid and education, and cultural and scientific collaboration. Signed in April 2011, the agreement coincided with the launch of the Paris-Nairobi Climate Initiative, which aims to facilitate initiatives in Africa to combat the effects of climate change. France also donated a patrol ship to the Kenyan Navy in June 2011, to help Nairobi combat piracy in the waters off the Kenyan coast. Relations with South Africa have also become a higher priority for France, as shown by the March 2011 visit to Paris by South African President Jacob Zuma, which followed a visit to South Africa by President Sarkozy three years earlier, and the November 2011 visit to Pretoria of French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé. The two countries are negotiating an agreement on co-operation in the southern Indian Ocean, an area which contains islands administered by both France and South Africa. Both countries hold regular joint military exercises and are working together with other regional countries to improve maritime security. Recognising the growing threat to shipping and security from the southward movement of Somali piracy, the French frigate Nivôse – based at La Réunion – joined the South African frigate SAS Mendi and the Mozambican navy to conduct “Operation Oxide”, an anti-piracy training exercise in the Mozambique Channel in October 2011. Page 3 of 6 Bilateral relations between France and Indian Ocean states, such as those mentioned above, have helped to cement France’s strategic influence in the region. India and Pakistan sit on the Arabian Sea, the security of which is vital for ships leaving the Persian Gulf. The East and Southern African regions are located close to French-administered islands and former colonies in the Indian Ocean. Strengthening bilateral relations with countries in these areas can contribute to France’s energy security and the security of its citizens in its Indian Ocean départments. France has also been active multilaterally in the Indian Ocean region, mainly through its membership in the Indian Ocean Commission (officially known by its French name, Commission de l'Océan Indien, or COI). Established in 1984, the COI includes the Seychelles, Mauritius, Comoros and Madagascar, as well as France. The island states have been significant in the increasing geopolitical focus that has been taking place in the Indian Ocean in recent years. This can be seen through India’s naval involvement in Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles, and China’s increased diplomatic and economic links with all of the island states. In Comoros, for instance, China sent a senior envoy, Hao Ping, to the Presidential inauguration ceremony of Comoros’ new president, Ikililou Dhoinine, in May 2011. China was one of the few countries to do so. In the face of increased involvement in the region, the COI gives France an official avenue to maintain its cultural bonds in the region as other countries vie for influence. Although not necessarily a zero-sum game, this will likely be a long-term asset for France’s regional interests as developing countries continue to gain global prominence. France’s Interests in the Region One aspect of France’s continued involvement in the region is its desire to remain globally relevant in the long-term future.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Interactions of Patagonian Toothfish Fisheries With
    CCAMLR Science, Vol. 17 (2010): 179–195 INTERACTIONS OF PATAGONIAN TOOTHFISH FISHERIES WITH KILLER AND SPERM WHALES IN THE CROZET ISLANDS EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE: AN ASSESSMENT OF DEPREDATION LEVELS AND INSIGHTS ON POSSIBLE MITIGATION STRATEGIES P. Tixier1, N. Gasco2, G. Duhamel2, M. Viviant1, M. Authier1 and C. Guinet1 1 Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé CNRS, UPR 1934 Villiers-en-Bois, 79360 France Email – [email protected] 2 MNHN Paris, 75005 France Abstract Within the Crozet Islands Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) longline fishery is exposed to high levels of depredation by killer (Orcinus orca) and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus). From 2003 to 2008, sperm whales alone, killer whales alone, and the two species co-occurring were observed on 32.6%, 18.6% and 23.4% respectively of the 4 289 hauled lines. It was estimated that a total of 571 tonnes (€4.8 million) of Patagonian toothfish were lost due to depredation by killer whales and both killer and sperm whales. Killer whales were found to be responsible for the largest part of this loss (>75%), while sperm whales had a lower impact (>25%). Photo-identification data revealed 35 killer whales belonging to four different pods were involved in 81.3% of the interactions. Significant variations of interaction rates with killer whales were detected between vessels suggesting the influence of operational factors on depredation. When killer whales were absent at the beginning of the line hauling process, short lines (<5 000 m) provided higher yield and were significantly less impacted by depredation than longer lines.
    [Show full text]
  • Paleoecological Investigations of Diatoms in a Core from Kerguelen Islands, Southeast Indian Ocean
    RF 3128 Institute of Polar Studies Report No. 50 PALEOECOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF DIATOMS IN A CORE FROM KERGUELEN ISLANDS, SOUTHEAST INDIAN OCEAN by Donna D. larson Institute of Polar Studies and Department of Botany The Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio 43210 May 1974 GOLDTHWAIT POLAR LIBRARY The Ohio Stote University BYRD POLAR RESEARCH CENTER Research Foundati on Columbus, Ohio 43212 ERRATUM: Page 37, paragraph 2, "past deposition" shou l d read "peat deposition" , INSTITUTE OF POLAR STUDIES Report No . SO PALEOECOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF DIATOMS IN A CORE FROM KERGUELEN ISLANDS , SOUTHEAST I NDIAN OCEAN by Donna D. Larson • Institute of Polar Studies and Department of Botany The Ohio State University Columbus , Ohio 43210 May 1974 The Ohio State University Research Foundation Columbus , Ohio 432l? ABSTRACT Percentage frequencies of diatom taxa from 20 levels in a sediment core from Kerguelen Island, Southeast Indian Ocean we~e considered in light of known present ecological preferences, and populations at varying levels compared. By using diatoms as environmental indicators, and also consider- ing physical stratigraphy, environmental conditions prevailing on Kerguelen during the past 10, 000 years were reconstructed. Comparisons we~e also made between depositional environment information determined by diatom studies and conclusions reached by Young and Schofield in a 1972 pollen analysis using soil samples from the same levels in the Kerguelen core • • I I • ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank Dr. Gary B. Collins for suggesting t he project, Eileen Schofield for supplying the core material, and Dr. Clarence Taft for valuable comments on the manuscript. Most special thanks go to Dr .
    [Show full text]
  • Download the Presentation Here
    Photo 1 4.2” x 10.31” Position x: 8.74”, y: .18” Jean-Philippe Palasi Director for European policy Averting global biodiversity loss Photo 1 4.2” x 10.31” Position x: 8.74”, y: .18” Can we avert global biodiversity loss ? That means addressing 5 direct causes: • Habitat destruction • Over exploitation • Pollution • Invasive species • Climate change Photo 1 4.2” x 10.31” Position x: 8.74”, y: .18” Can we avert global biodiversity loss ? That means addressing 5 direct causes: • Habitat destruction • Over exploitation • Pollution • Invasive species • Climate change Photo 1 4.2” x 10.31” Position x: 8.74”, y: .18” Can we avert global biodiversity loss ? That means addressing 5 direct causes: • Habitat destruction • Over exploitation • Pollution • Invasive species • Climate change And several root causes: • Demographic growth • Poverty • Poor governance, corruption and conflicts • Unsustainable economic models (production, Photo 1 consumption and supply chains) 4.2” x 10.31” • Lack of awareness & adequate accounting Position x: 8.74”, y: .18” Habitat destruction Climate change species confined to high altitude At 520 ppm (mid-century?) most of coral species in warm waters would scarcely support further growth. Increased droughts in the Amazon basin 2010 vegetation anomalies, Nasa Earth Observatory CC impact on species Chris Thomas (Leeds univ), Nature, 2004 « We predict, on the basis of mid-range climate-warming scenarios for 2050, that 15-37% of species (…) will be committed to exctinction » = 1 million terrestrial species by 2050 Mitigation is key: - Lower climate projections: ~18% - Mid-range: ~24% Photo 1 4.2” x 10.31” - Maximum: ~35% Position x: 8.74”, y: .18” Biodiversity loss …is a defining issues of our time …is closely linked to climate change …will carry on for decades, probably centuries …can be mitigated through profound changes in our economic and social systems Photo 1 4.2” x 10.31” Position x: 8.74”, y: .18” EU action for global biodiversity Photo 1 4.2” x 10.31” Position x: 8.74”, y: .18” EU action for global biodiversity 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Investigation of Weather Anomalies in the Low-Latitude Islands of the Indian Ocean in 1991 Anne Réchou, S
    Investigation of weather anomalies in the low-latitude islands of the Indian Ocean in 1991 Anne Réchou, S. Kirkwood To cite this version: Anne Réchou, S. Kirkwood. Investigation of weather anomalies in the low-latitude islands of the Indian Ocean in 1991. Annales Geophysicae, European Geosciences Union, 2015, pp.789-804. 10.5194/angeo- 33-789-2015. hal-01173951 HAL Id: hal-01173951 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01173951 Submitted on 21 Oct 2016 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Ann. Geophys., 33, 789–804, 2015 www.ann-geophys.net/33/789/2015/ doi:10.5194/angeo-33-789-2015 © Author(s) 2015. CC Attribution 3.0 License. Investigation of weather anomalies in the low-latitude islands of the Indian Ocean in 1991 A. Réchou1 and S. Kirkwood2 1Laboratoire de l’Atmosphère et des Cyclones, UMR8105, CNRS, Météo-France, Université de La Réunion, Réunion, France 2Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Box 812, 981 28 Kiruna, Sweden Correspondence to: A. Réchou ([email protected]) Received: 15 November 2014 – Revised: 13 April 2015 – Accepted: 10 June 2015 – Published: 02 July 2015 Abstract. Temperature, precipitation and sunshine duration should be more widespread, it seems unlikely that Pinatubo measurements at meteorological stations across the southern was the cause.
    [Show full text]
  • ISO Country Codes
    COUNTRY SHORT NAME DESCRIPTION CODE AD Andorra Principality of Andorra AE United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates AF Afghanistan The Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan AG Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda (includes Redonda Island) AI Anguilla Anguilla AL Albania Republic of Albania AM Armenia Republic of Armenia Netherlands Antilles (includes Bonaire, Curacao, AN Netherlands Antilles Saba, St. Eustatius, and Southern St. Martin) AO Angola Republic of Angola (includes Cabinda) AQ Antarctica Territory south of 60 degrees south latitude AR Argentina Argentine Republic America Samoa (principal island Tutuila and AS American Samoa includes Swain's Island) AT Austria Republic of Austria Australia (includes Lord Howe Island, Macquarie Islands, Ashmore Islands and Cartier Island, and Coral Sea Islands are Australian external AU Australia territories) AW Aruba Aruba AX Aland Islands Aland Islands AZ Azerbaijan Republic of Azerbaijan BA Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina BB Barbados Barbados BD Bangladesh People's Republic of Bangladesh BE Belgium Kingdom of Belgium BF Burkina Faso Burkina Faso BG Bulgaria Republic of Bulgaria BH Bahrain Kingdom of Bahrain BI Burundi Republic of Burundi BJ Benin Republic of Benin BL Saint Barthelemy Saint Barthelemy BM Bermuda Bermuda BN Brunei Darussalam Brunei Darussalam BO Bolivia Republic of Bolivia Federative Republic of Brazil (includes Fernando de Noronha Island, Martim Vaz Islands, and BR Brazil Trindade Island) BS Bahamas Commonwealth of the Bahamas BT Bhutan Kingdom of Bhutan
    [Show full text]
  • The EU and Its Overseas Entities Joining Forces on Biodiversity and Climate Change
    BEST The EU and its overseas entities Joining forces on biodiversity and climate change Photo 1 4.2” x 10.31” Position x: 8.74”, y: .18” Azores St-Martin Madeira St-Barth. Guadeloupe Canary islands Martinique French Guiana Reunion Outermost Regions (ORs) Azores Madeira French Guadeloupe Canary Guiana Martinique islands Reunion Azores St-Martin Madeira St-Barth. Guadeloupe Canary islands Martinique French Guiana Reunion Outermost Regions (ORs) Azores St-Martin Madeira St-Barth. Guadeloupe Canary islands Martinique French Guiana Reunion Outermost Regions (ORs) Anguilla British Virgin Is. Turks & Caïcos Caïman Islands Montserrat Sint-Marteen Sint-Eustatius Greenland Saba St Pierre & Miquelon Azores Aruba Wallis Bonaire French & Futuna Caraçao Ascension Polynesia Mayotte BIOT (British Indian Ocean Ter.) St Helena Scattered New Islands Caledonia Pitcairn Tristan da Cunha Amsterdam St-Paul South Georgia Crozet Islands TAAF (Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises) Iles Sandwich Falklands Kerguelen (Islas Malvinas) BAT (British Antarctic Territory) Adélie Land Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) Anguilla The EU overseas dimension British Virgin Is. Turks & Caïcos Caïman Islands Montserrat Sint-Marteen Sint-Eustatius Greenland Saba St Pierre & Miquelon Azores St-Martin Madeira St-Barth. Guadeloupe Canary islands Martinique Aruba French Guiana Wallis Bonaire French & Futuna Caraçao Ascension Polynesia Mayotte BIOT (British Indian Ocean Ter.) St Helena Reunion Scattered New Islands Caledonia Pitcairn Tristan da Cunha Amsterdam St-Paul South Georgia Crozet Islands TAAF (Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises) Iles Sandwich Falklands Kerguelen (Islas Malvinas) BAT (British Antarctic Territory) Adélie Land ORs OCTs Anguilla The EU overseas dimension British Virgin Is. A major potential for cooperation on climate change and biodiversity Turks & Caïcos Caïman Islands Montserrat Sint-Marteen Sint-Eustatius Greenland Saba St Pierre & Miquelon Azores St-Martin Madeira St-Barth.
    [Show full text]
  • The Kerguelen Islands Fisheries and Their Resource Species
    Fisheries catch reconstructions: Islands, Part II. Harper and Zeller 15 A BRIEF HISTORY OF FISHING IN THE KERGUELEN ISLANDS, FRANCE1 M.L.D. Palomares and D. Pauly Sea Around Us Project, Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, 2204 Main Mall, Vancouver, V6T1Z4, Canada [email protected]; [email protected] ABSTRACT Catch statistics from around the (uninhabited) Kerguelen Islands, which are part of the French Antarctic and sub-Antarctic Territories, and where distant-water fisheries began in 1970, were obtained from the CCAMLR (Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources) Statistical Bulletin (Area 58.5.1) and complemented by statistics reported through the French KERPECHE program. Catches originally expressed by fishing seasons were re-expressed as calendar years, which results in a slight between-season smoothing. These catches show a general decline over a 30 year-period and an expansion of the longline fishery to deeper waters in the last 10 years. INTRODUCTION The Kerguelen Islands The Kerguelen Islands (49°30‘S, 69°30‘E) are part of the French Antarctic and sub-Antarctic Territories, which also include the islands of Crozet, Amsterdam and St. Paul, and the Antarctic district of Terre Adélie (www.taaf.fr). They consist of a main island called ‗La Grande Terre‘ (6,700 km2) and a number of smaller surrounding islets. Kerguelen Island sits in the middle of the combined shelf of the Kerguelen and Heard Islands (Australia), known as the Kerguelen Plateau, which covers an area of 100,500 km2 above 500 m depth (Pruvost et al., 2005: see Figure 1).
    [Show full text]
  • FEASIBILITY and DESKTOP STUDIES REGARDING HA 04 FINAL 03.1 Summary and Recommendations
    FEASIBILITY AND DESKTOP STUDIES REGARDING HA 04 FINAL 03.1 Summary and Recommendations P repa red f or: P repa ra t ory C om m i s s i on f or t h e C om preh e n s i v e N u c lea r - Te s t - Ban T r e at y O rg a n i z a t i on ( C T B T O ) P rov i s i on a l T e c h n i c a l S ec ret a ri a t C T B T O , Vi e nna I nte r na ti o na l C e ntr e P . O . B ox 1 2 0 0 , W a g ra m ers t ra s s e 5 A - 1400 V i e n n a , Au s t r i a P repa red b y : M a l l i n C o ns ul ta nts L t d . 3 3 0 T em pe C res c en t N ort h V a n c ou v er B . C . V 7 N 1 E 6 C an ad a 12 A pri l 2012 Summary and Recommendations - Page 1 GLOSSARY: AC Air Conditioning ATP Acceptance Test Plan BMH Beach Manhole CAT Commission Acceptance Tests CD 1.0 Continuous Data Format and Protocol CD 1.1 Formats and Protocols for Continuous Data (CD1.1) COTS/NDI Commercial Off-The-Shelf/Non-Development Items CRF Central Recording Facility CRL Certificate Revocation List CRS Cable Route Survey CTA Cable Termination Assembly CTBT Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty CTBTO Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization (Commission) DASS Data Acquisition and Storage Segment dB Decibel dBV/µPa Decibels with respect to one volt per micro Pascal DDFI Digital Data Formatter and Interface DSA Digital Signature Algorithm DSS Digital Signature Standard ESA European Space Agency FAT Factory Acceptance Test hrs.
    [Show full text]
  • BEST Brochure 2011-2018
    Structuring of floristic information and EPI REV: Pilot action to reinforce conserving endangered elements of populations of the threatened Orchid Martinique’s flora Epidendrum revertianum in Guadeloupe and Martinique Structuration de l’information floristique et conservation d’éléments menacés de la flore de EPI REV : Action pilote de renforcement des Martinique populations de l’orchidée menacée Epidendrum revertianum en Guadeloupe et Martinique Targeted territory: Martinique BEST RUP grant awarded: 49,891 € Duration: May 2018 – April 2019 (12 months) Lead: Conservatoire Botanique de Martinique (CBMq) Targeted territory: Guadeloupe, Martinique Partner: Conservatoire Botanique National Centre BEST RUP grant awarded: 43,778 € Permanent d’Initiatives pour l’Environnement de Duration: May 2018 – April 2019 (12 months) Mascarin (CBN-CPIE Mascarin) Lead: Association Guadeloupéenne d’Orchidophilie (AGO) Partner: Conservatoire Botanique de la Martinique (CBMq) Objective: To contribute to a better consideration of Martinique’s flora in public policies and an improvement in its conservation status through enhancing the knowledge base on tracheophytes. Objective: To halt the decline of the population of the threatened Orchid Project description: Epidendrum revertianum in Guadeloupe and Martinique. Martinique’s flora not only faces a lack of common taxonomi- cal, nomenclatural and informational reference points, but also Project description: a virtual absence of ex situ conservation programs focusing Epidendrum revertianum is a terrestrial orchid endemic to the specifically on endangered species. Lesser Antilles (Guadeloupe, Martinique, St Vincent) and classi- fied as critical on the IUCN Red List. The project is carrying out The project is developing a taxonomic and nomenclatural controlled crosses between the rare plants of Guadeloupe on reference system specific to the Martinique named the one hand (less than 20 known) and Martinique on the other “Tracheophytes Index of Martinique”.
    [Show full text]
  • Surface Temperature Field in the Crozet and Kerguelen Whaling Grounds
    SURFACE TEMPERATURE FIELD IN THE CROZET AND KERGUELEN WHALING GROUNDS SABURO MACHIDA Whales Research Institute, Tokyo ABSTRACT Some oceanographic conditions in the summer season at the surface in the Crozet and Kerguelen Ridge regions, where the good whaling grounds of baleen whales occur, are discussed on the basis of the distribution of the surface temperature observed by the Japanese whaling fleets in the 1965/66 to 1972/73 Antarctic seasons. The surface isotherms bend northwards over the submarine rising around the Prince Edward, Crozet and Kerguelen Islands. These bends of the iso­ therms suggest to reflect the bending of the surface current, and that it is presumably influenced by the bottom topography. They may be also sug­ gested that the convergence efficiency of the current is comparatively intense north and east of these submarine risings. INTRODUCTION It is well known that the good whaling grounds of baleen whales occur in the Crozet and Kerguelen Ridge regions. In these two regions right whales were taken by the old American whalers mainly in the 19th century and pigmy blue whales were also taken there in the early 1960's. Recently the Japanese whaling fleets have been often searching for the favorite haunts of the sei and fin whales in the regions. We have little knowledge of the general oceangoraphic conditions in the Crozet and Kerguelen whaling grounds, though the oceanographic conditions are the close living evnvironment to the whales. A knowledge of oceanographic conditions is fundamentally necessary to think systematic study on the environment of the habits of various marine organisms. From this point of view, therefore, the purpose of the present study is to discuss the oceanographic conditions at the surface in the Crozet and Kerguelen Ridge regions on the basis of the surface temperature distribu­ tion, which was observed by the Japanese whaling fleets.
    [Show full text]
  • First Records of Aphid-Pathogenic Entomophthorales in the Sub-Antarctic Archipelagos of Crozet and Kerguelen Bernard Papierok, Charles-Antoine Dedryver, Maurice Hullé
    First records of aphid-pathogenic Entomophthorales in the sub-Antarctic archipelagos of Crozet and Kerguelen Bernard Papierok, Charles-Antoine Dedryver, Maurice Hullé To cite this version: Bernard Papierok, Charles-Antoine Dedryver, Maurice Hullé. First records of aphid-pathogenic Ento- mophthorales in the sub-Antarctic archipelagos of Crozet and Kerguelen. Polar Research, Co-Action Publishing, 2016, 35 (1), pp.28765. 10.3402/polar.v35.28765. hal-01425789 HAL Id: hal-01425789 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01425789 Submitted on 27 May 2020 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution| 4.0 International License Polar Research ISSN: (Print) 1751-8369 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/zpor20 First records of aphid-pathogenic Entomophthorales in the sub-Antarctic archipelagos of Crozet and Kerguelen Bernard Papierok, Charles-Antoine Dedryver & Maurice Hullé To cite this article: Bernard Papierok, Charles-Antoine Dedryver & Maurice Hullé (2016) First records of aphid-pathogenic Entomophthorales in the sub-Antarctic archipelagos of Crozet and Kerguelen, Polar Research, 35:1, 28765, DOI: 10.3402/polar.v35.28765 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/polar.v35.28765 © 2016 B.
    [Show full text]
  • France and Security Indo Pacific
    COUVASIE2018_DEF-EN copie.pdf 1 09/05/2018 15:51:16 C M FRANCE AND SECURITY J CM IN THE INDOPACIFIC MJ CJ CMJ N Foreword by the Minister for the Armed Forces France pays particular attention to the Indo-Pacific region. Its stability is paramount for international security, as stated in the 2017 Defence and National Security Strategic Review. In the Indo-Pacific area, North Korea challenges the international community by conducting nuclear trials and ballistic missile tests, thereby breaching the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. The military assertiveness of a growing number of established or emerging powers presents many challenges to multilateralism and increases the instability and unpredictability we are confronted with. Terrorism, which has severely struck Europe over the last few years, is reshaping and spreading to the Indo-Pacific. This worrying evolution requires a joint mobilisation of the international community. The maritime domain remains an area of tensions due to the challenging behaviour of some States with regards to United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the persistence of acts of piracy. Finally, the effects of climate change and environmental degradations represent a major issue in the Indo-Pacific, and as far as in the Antarctic, exacerbating security risks. These major challenges can only be overcome through cooperation. Upholding stability in the Indo-Pacific, which is a source of overall prosperity thanks to its economic dynamism, demographic growth and technological innovation, is essential. This has to be set within the framework of an international order based on dialogue and the respect of multilaterally set rules.
    [Show full text]