The Interim Guinea Current Commission and the Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem Project (IGCC/GCLME) with the support of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the oil industry, through the IPIECA, the global oil and gas industry association for environmental and social issues, will be organizing a regional Workshop on dispersants in Accra, Ghana from 22 to 24 June 2011 within the framework of the IMO/IPIECA Global Initiative for West, Central and Southern Africa (GI WACAF).
This Workshop, which will bring together government focal points responsible for oil spill preparedness and response issues, is aimed at catalysing and encouraging effective oil spill contingency planning in the region.
All 16 IGCC member states and representatives from the main oil companies in the region are expected to participate in this Workshop. The invitation has also been extended to the representatives of member states of the Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem Project (CCLME) and the Benguela Current Commission (BCC).
Workshop Objectives
The focus of the Workshop will be on the use of dispersants in the context of oil spill response in the different countries. It will provide an opportunity for those participating to gain a better understanding of the chemistry and effects of dispersants, methods of application, environmental considerations and how dispersants should be considered in relation to other response strategies. The workshop will have the following specific objectives:
To present and discuss recent developments in dispersant use;
To present and discuss the results from specific dispersant-related research projects addressing the use of dispersant within the context of national policies; and
To examine the possibility of developing a regional policy for dispersants use and ways of harmonizing national policies to support it.
Program of the Workshop
22 June 2011: Technical Sessions and Pre-use Considerations;
23 June 2011: Criteria for Policy Planning, Case Study and Tabletop Exercise;
24 June 2011: Roundtable – National Priorities and Regional Approach.
For the complete downloadable program please click here.
Regional Conference 2011: Towards Operational Oil Spill Response in West, Central and Southern Africa
Followed by:
- Regional Meeting of the GI WACAF Focal Point
- Regional Workshop on Claims and Compensation
The Regional Workshop and Conference GI WACAF 2011 is the larger event for oil spill preparedness, response and cooperation activities in West, Central and Southern Africa. This event organised with the support of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the national authorities of Nigeria and the oil industry, through the IPIECA, the global oil and gas industry association for environmental and social issues, will be hold in Nigeria. It is part of the biennial management system of the GI WACAF project and is gathering the industry and government focal points with main objectives to exchange experiences and review progress achieved within the biennium action plan. Based on these results focal points are establishing the objectives for the next biennium
Opening ceremony of the Regional Workshop 2009 held in Cameroon
The Global Initiative for West, Central and Southern Africa (GI WACAF Project) is a Partnership between the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA) to strengthen oil spill response capability in 22 countries of the region.
The Project is jointly funded by the Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP) of the IMO and the eight oil company members of the Project through IPIECA.
Since the launch of the Project in 2006, regional events have been organized every two years with the objective to strengthen oil spill response capability in the region. These include events in Gabon in April 2006, Republic of Congo in December 2007 and Cameroon in November 2009. Since 2006, the GI WACAF regional conference has become the most important event for oil spill preparedness response and cooperation in West, Central and Southern Africa with approximately 200 delegates taking part
Workshop Objectives
The general objectives of the conferences and workshops are:
To facilitate information sharing and lessons learned in the region;;
To raise awareness on oil spill preparedness and response issues; and
To train participants in technical aspects of oil spill response
Program of the Workshop(to be confirmed)
10 to 12 October 2011 (three days): Regional Conference “Towards Operational Oil Spill Response in West, Central and Southern Africa”;
13 October 2011 (one day): Regional Meeting of the GI WACAF Focal Points; and
14 October 2011 (one day): Regional Training Workshop on Shoreline Response and Liability & Compensation Regime.
The complete program is not downloadable for the moment.
