1 SAFER SEAS 2007 Brest, 9 – 12 October, 2007 ROLE OF A REGIONAL CENTRE IN A CRISIS MANAGEMENT: THE LEBANESE CASE Frédéric HEBERT Director REMPEC - 1 -

2 1. Assets of a Regional Centre  Continuous links with the national authorities in the region  Embodied in the wider UN family:  UNEP/MAP – UNEP R.S.- UNEP/OCHA  IMO and technical network  UNDP Lebanon - 2 -

3 2. Weaknesses  Sustainability in the Crisis Management  Limited financial resources for emergencies  No logistical capacity - 3 -

4 Action Taken by the Centre during the Lebanese Spill - Remote Technical Assistance - On Site Assistance - Diffusion of Information and Requests for Assistance - 4 -

Remote Technical Assistance  Technical Guidelines were provided  Setting up of an experts’ group to prepare a response plan  MOE Lebanon  CEDRE  IMO  ICRAM  ITOPF  OCC  Backstopping the Lebanese Authorities and dealing with the commercial proposals.

6 On Site Assistance Assessment - MAU in Syria upon request -CEDRE experts funded by French Government and acting on behalf of REMPEC - 6 -

7 On Site Assistance Technical Assistance to OSOCC (Oil Spill Operations Coordination Centre) and the Minister in the planning of operations (IMO/REMPEC) Assistance in preparing the agreements between international donors and the Lebanese Authorities (IMO/REMPEC and UNDP ) - 7 -

8 Diffusion of information and requests for assistance - 8 -

9 LESSONS LEARNT FROM THIS CASE - 9 -

10 Some technical issues need to be worked out: Shoreline clean up assesment; Waste management policy planning Recovery of submerged oil Need for a Regional network in order to address these technical issues: the Mediterranean Technical Working group

11 This network has to be linked with the other networks working on the same topics: The IMO OPRC/HNS working group Cooperation with regional research institutes has to be reinforced: ex. the mediterranean Operational Oceanographic Network

12 Thank You !