Alexandria:An international training program on regional ocean environmental management was hosted by the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF) in Alexandria. The event gathered 21 trainees from 12 African and Asian countries, in collaboration with the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
According to State Information Service Egypt, the Egypt-ISA Joint Training Center organized the program with NIOF, focusing on developing regional environmental management plans for areas beyond national jurisdiction, particularly in the Indian Ocean. The participating countries included Egypt, Cameroon, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Somalia, Tanzania, and Yemen.
During the program's opening via videoconference, ISA Secretary-General Leticia Carvalho highlighted the need to strengthen scientific and technical capacities in developing countries. She emphasized that the Indian Ocean is the next focus for developing regional environmental management plans, with the ISA Legal and Technical Commission aiming to complete its work by 2027.
The initiative aims to protect marine ecosystems and biodiversity, identify environmentally significant areas, and provide a scientific basis for making decisions about human activities and mineral resource exploitation in the deep seabed. The program featured lectures, scientific sessions, and practical training on preparing and reviewing environmental management plans, along with the environmental and geological characteristics of the Indian Ocean.
Additionally, participants learned about designing networks of environmentally significant areas, applying marine spatial planning concepts, and exchanging national experiences. Dr. Abeer Ahmed Mounir, Chairperson of NIOF, stated that the program offers an opportunity to strengthen the necessary scientific and technical capacities for contributing to regional environmental management plans.
Dr. Amr Hamouda, Director of the Egypt-ISA Joint Training Center, noted that the program aims to empower developing countries in Africa and Asia with the skills needed for marine environmental protection and regional cooperation. This training course is the second organized by the ISA through the Joint Training Center with NIOF, as part of capacity-building efforts approved under the authority's Partnership Fund.
Mauritius is set to host the next workshop on the Indian Ocean Regional Environmental Management Plan in April 2027, with public consultations beginning after the draft plan is completed.