EIGHTH ORDINARY MEETING of the OSC 8/1/1 RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe STEERING COMMITTEE 14 March 2016 Agenda Item 1 Original: English
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REGIONAL ACTIVITY CENTRE /REGIONAL MARINE POLLUTION EMERGENCY, INFORMATION AND TRAINING CENTRE - WIDER CARIBBEAN REGION EIGHTH ORDINARY MEETING OF THE OSC 8/1/1 RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe STEERING COMMITTEE 14 March 2016 Agenda item 1 Original: English PROVISIONAL AGENDA for the eighth ordinary meeting of the Steering Committee to be held at the Renaissance Curacao Resort and Casino, Willemstad, Curacao from Thursday, 19th to Friday 20th May 2016 (Meeting commences at 08:30 on Thursday, 19th May 2016) Opening of the meeting 1 Adoption of the agenda 2 RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe’s history, mission, vision, values 3 Status of institutional arrangements 4 Long-term strategic plan review and adoption 5 Country profiles and key performance indicators 6 Strategic communication developments 7 Cost benefit analysis of updating Caribbean marine traffic database 8 Status of IMO consultants 9 Report on activities under the 2014 - 2015 work program 10 RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe contributions to IMO’s missions 11 Presentation of the 2016 - 2017 work program 12 Election of Officers 13 Any other business 14 Report of the meeting Closing of the meeting Regional Activity Center / Regional Marine Pollution Emergency, Information and Training Center Wider Caribbean Region Seru Mahuma z/n, Aviation and Meteorology Building, Curaçao Phone: 5999-868-4612 / 868-3409; Fax: 5999-868-4996; Email: [email protected] REGIONAL ACTIVITY CENTRE /REGIONAL MARINE POLLUTION EMERGENCY, INFORMATION AND TRAINING CENTRE - WIDER CARIBBEAN REGION EIGHTH ORDINARY MEETING OF THE OSC 8/2/1 RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe STEERING COMMITTEE 19 April 2016 Agenda item 2 Original: English RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe’s history, mission, vision, values Submitted by RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe SUMMARY Executive Summary: This document provides a summary of the establishment of the centre and the new mission, vision values. Action to be Taken: Paragraph 8 Background 1. Following major oil spills and chemical spill incidents and in order to preserve the sensitive coastal ecosystems and the economies dependent on these resources, the States and Territories of the Wider Caribbean Region requested in the early nineties, that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) support and establish a regional centre to achieve the goal of oil spill preparedness and to promote co-operation, training and exercises. This request was reiterated during the IMO/IPIECA Conference, held in Curacao, in March 1994. It was also requested to consolidate the then ten-year existence of the IMO Consultant on oil pollution preparedness based in Puerto Rico. 2. The Seventh Intergovernmental Meeting of the Action Plan and the Fourth Meeting of the Contracting Parties of the Cartagena Convention and Protocols, in December 1994, took this decision, based on the initiative and proposal of the Netherlands Antilles, the Netherlands and the United States (USCG). The Contracting Parties accepted, on a provisional basis, the establishment of the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Information and Training Centre (REMPEITC-Caribe) in Curacao and requested IMO and UNEP to consider means to sustain the operation of the Centre and to develop the necessary institutional arrangements. 3. Through this collaborative effort between the governments of the Wider Caribbean Region, the UNEP, and IMO, RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe was established on June 15th 1995, within the framework of the Caribbean Environmental Programme (UNEP- CAR/RCU), and with the support of the governments of the Netherlands Antilles, the Netherlands and the United States of America. 4. The Centre is hosted by the Government of Curaçao and staffed with subject matter experts voluntarily seconded by states signatory to the Cartagena Convention of 1983. Current secondments are from Curaçao, the United States (U.S. Coast Guard) and France (with the support of the oil company, Total S.A.). Past secondments to the Centre Regional Activity Centre / Regional Marine Pollution Emergency, Information and Training Centre Wider Caribbean Region Seru Mahuma z/n, Aviation and Meteorology Building, Curaçao Phone: 5999-868-4612 / 868-3409; Fax: 5999-868-4996; Email: [email protected] RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe OSC 8-2-1 Page 2 have been appointed by the Governments of the Netherlands and Venezuela (with the support of Refineria Isla Curacao B.V). 5. Though its origins are deeply rooted in the Oil Spills Protocol of the Cartagena Convention, the OPRC 90 Convention and in strengthening regional oil spill preparedness, co-operation and response capacity, the mission of RAC/REMPEITC- Caribe has diversified to assist countries to implement all IMO marine pollution prevention conventions. 6. Recognizing the importance to enhance the mission of the Centre and facilitate more effective development and implementation of future work plans, the 7th Ordinary Steering Committee Meeting of RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe, held in Curacao May 21-22, 2014 recommended (Recommendation #10) that a working group be established to develop a long term strategic plan. The first step in developing this strategic plan was to review and revise the mission, vision and values of the Centre as follows: Mission: To assist countries of the Wider Caribbean Region to develop sustainable national and regional capabilities for implementing¬ international standards to prevent and respond to threats to the marine environment from ships. Vision: Our vision is of a resilient Wider Caribbean Region where all nations share best practices and resources and have effectively implemented the Cartagena Convention Oil Spills Protocol,1983 the OPRC Convention, 1990 and other UNEP and IMO Conventions and Protocols known to be prudent measures to prevent and, when necessary, respond to marine pollution. Values: We are professionals of the highest integrity that build regional capacity and promote cooperation among the diverse nations of the Wider Caribbean Region. 7. For additional information regarding the centre’s legal framework, refer to Document OSC 8-2-2. Action 8. The Steering Committee is invited to note the information provided and approve the revised mission, vision and values as proposed by the Centre’s long term strategic plan working group. REGIONAL ACTIVITY CENTRE /REGIONAL MARINE POLLUTION EMERGENCY, INFORMATION AND TRAINING CENTRE - WIDER CARIBBEAN REGION EIGHTH ORDINARY MEETING OF THE OSC 8/2/2 RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe STEERING COMMITTEE 19 April 2016 Agenda item 2 Original: English Legal Framework RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe’s legal framework stems from international and regional instruments as follows: Cartagena Convention: Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region: The Cartagena Convention was adopted on 24 March 1983 and entered into force on 11 October 1986 as the legal instrument for the implementation of the Caribbean Action Program. The Convention is the only legally binding Environment treaty for the Wider Caribbean Region. The Convention and its three Protocols constitute a legal commitment by the participating governments to protect, develop and manage their common waters individually or jointly. The Convention is a framework agreement setting out the political and legal foundations for actions to be developed. These actions are directed by a series of operational Protocols designed to address special issues and to initiate concrete actions. The three protocols supporting the Convention are the Oil Spill Protocol, the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife Protocol (SPAW), and the Land Based Spills Protocol (LBS). RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe is the Regional Activity Centre established under the Oil Spill Protocol. Protocol Concerning Co-operation in Combating Oil Spill in the Wider Caribbean Region: The Oil Spills Protocol was adopted and entered into force concurrently with the Cartagena Convention (24 March 1983). The Protocol establishes a mechanism to respond to discharges or threats of discharges that could endanger the marine environment and coastal interests of the countries. The Contracting Parties to the Convention extended the Oil Spills Protocol to include hazardous or toxic substances by means of an Annex. The International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co- operation, 1990: The OPRC 1990 was adopted in London at the IMO headquarters on 30 November 1990. The OPRC 1990 facilitates international co-operation and mutual assistance in preparing for and responding to a major oil pollution incident, and requires countries to develop and maintain an adequate capability to effectively and promptly deal with oil pollution emergencies. Regional Activity Centre / Regional Marine Pollution Emergency, Information and Training Centre Wider Caribbean Region Seru Mahuma z/n, Aviation and Meteorology Building, Curaçao Phone: 5999-868-4612 / 868-3409; Fax: 5999-868-4996; Email: [email protected] RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe OSC 8-2-2 Page 2 The Ninth Intergovernmental Meeting on the Action Plan for the Caribbean Environment Program and Sixth Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Cartagena Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region: At this meeting, held in Kingston, Jamaica, 14-18 February 2000, the Contracting Parties to the Convention adopted the Decision 28.b. to formally establish the Centre. The Institutional Arrangements, Terms of Reference and Functions of the Steering Committee were also accepted during this meeting. IMO/ IPIECA Global Initiative Regional Workshop on Oil Spill Preparedness, Response & Cooperation for the