Africa-Press – Mauritius. A series of four one-day validation workshops for the Enhancement of Oil Spill Response in Mauritius and Rodrigues under the Facilité D’Amorçage, de Préparation et de Suivi des Projets, an initiative of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), was launched by the Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management, and Climate Change, Mr Kavydass Ramano, today, at Voilà Hotel in Bagatelle.
The Director of AFD (Mauritius Office), Mrs Laetitia Habchi, and other distinguished guests, were also present. Organised by the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, the workshop aims to enhance the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP) by incorporating feedback from 10 stakeholder workshops held in October.
This initiative is supported by the financial and technical assistance from the Nairobi Convention Secretariat and facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
In his keynote address, Minister Ramano informed that in response to the MV Wakashio grounding on 25 July 2020 and the subsequent oil spill from 06 August 2020, the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme undertook a comprehensive review of the NOSCP.
He added that the Ministry is conducting a workshop from 07 November to 10 November 2023 to validate this effort. He also expressed his deep gratitude to the AFD (Mauritius Office) for its unwavering support and technical assistance in enhancing institutional capacity for more effective oil spill preparedness and response coordination.
Mr Ramano further dwelt on the substantial risks posed by maritime transportation, especially for coastal developing states and ‘ocean economies’ like Small Islands Development States (SIDS), which heavily rely on fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism. He indicated that the international shipping industry handles over 90% of the world’s cross-border trade.
He cited a report from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace titled ‘Mapping the Indian Ocean Region, June 2023,’ which estimated that nearly 90,000 vessels, carrying 9.84 billion tons of cargo, pass through the Indian Ocean annually, and approximately 40% of the world’s oil production transits through this region.
This volume of oil transfers poses a potential threat to the marine environment in case of accidents, he warned. Mr Ramano emphasised that Mauritius is uniquely positioned in the maritime route and is heavily reliant on its coastal and marine environment.
He recounted past collision and grounding incidents in the country’s territorial waters, often resulting from vessels navigating too closely to land/ports, navigation errors, or engine failures.
The MV Wakashio oil spill incident off the coast of Pointe D’Esny, which occurred three years ago, remains vivid in the collective memory, he added. Additionally, the Environment Minister announced that the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development signed a financing agreement with AFD Mauritius on 21 July 2021.
This agreement, known as Facilité D’Amorçage, de Préparation et de Suivi des Projets, is aimed at enhancing Mauritius’s capacity to respond to marine oil spills, he said.
According to him, the agreement presented an invaluable opportunity for the Ministry to develop short-term project components, including waste and volunteer management, a framework for assessing socioeconomic impacts, and the audit of oil spill equipment, further strengthening the revised NOSCP of 2021.
He further stated that the Ministry has engaged consultancy services to enhance the oil spill response in Mauritius and Rodrigues, with JV Oscar Executive Services Ltd and Spill Consult Ltd submitting reports on various aspects of the assignment, including auditing of available oil spill equipment, developing a Waste Management Plan, creating a Volunteer Management Plan, and establishing an environmental and socio-economic impact assessment framework for both regions.
For her part, Mrs Habchi underscored the workshop’s role in strengthening the bilateral ties between France and Mauritius, particularly the collaboration between AFD and the Ministry. She reaffirmed AFD’s commitment to providing ongoing support and expertise to Mauritius, especially in dealing with oil spills.
She also drew attention to the challenging phase during the MV Wakashio incident and pledged continued support, stating that AFD’s objective is to assist the nation and contribute to the sustainable development of marine life in Mauritius.
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