Western Indian Ocean Marine Highway Development and Coastal and Marine Contamination Prevention Project

The global environmental goal of the proposed Western Indian Ocean Marine Highway Development and Coastal and Marine Contamination Prevention Project is to contribute to protect the region’s coastal and marine environments and rich biodiversity from damage due to accidental spills and illegal discharges from ships and from illegal exploitation of marine and coastal resources. Short-term objectives are (a) to increase the safety of navigation by assessing the risks of catastrophic accidents and taking action to reduce the risks and prevent accidents, (b) to assist countries to undertake technical work needed to ratify conventions and to translate their provisions into national laws and regulations, (c) to build capacity in countries to assess and control ship-based pollution, (d) to strengthen capacity of countries for surveillance and enforcement of regulations intended to ensure that fisheries and other coastal and marine resources are managed sustainably; (e) to strengthen the capacity of countries to cooperate among themselves, with relevant international and regional organizations, and with the shipping and fishing industry in managing their common marine and coastal resources, and (f) to develop financing and institutional mechanisms to sustain capacity of countries to address issues of navigation safety, and to enforce in coordination with other countries laws and regulations governing the shipping and fishing industries.