Dialogue: AMSSA is designed to respond directly to the Africa- EU Joint Strategy and to help take the Africa-EU relationship to a new, strategic level with a strengthened political partnership and enhanced cooperation at all levels; this with specific regards to Maritime Safety, Security and Marine Environmental Protection. The proposed AMSSA partnership will be based on a Euro-African consensus on values, common interests and common strategic objectives. The AMSSA partnership and its further development is guided by the fundamental principles of the unity of Africa, the interdependence between Africa and Europe, ownership and joint responsibility, and respect for human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law, as well as the right to development. This will be managed through the development/implementation of a relevant institutional architecture, which will allow and promote intensive exchange and dialogue on all issues of common concern. In the light of this both sides will also commit themselves to enhance the coherence and effectiveness of existing agreements, policies and instruments. The backdrop for the AMSSA proposition is the implementation of the New African Maritime Transport Charter and the response to the associated resolutions agreed during the 2nd African Union Conference of Ministers Responsible for Maritime Transport held in Durban, South Africa – October 2009, and the (2007) European Integrated Maritime Policy, (in particular the International Dimension) and the associated action plan .
Strategic topics outlined in the Africa-EU Strategy First Action Plan 2008-2010 that are addressed within the proposed AMSSA (2011-2013) programme are as follows:
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| Trade and regional integration: Infrastructure - increasing interconnectivity by improving maritime safety and security |
| Promotion of Peace, Security and Stability in Africa and Europe |
| Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): Accelerating Progress towards the MDGs |
| Development of Knowledge-based Societies: Science, Information Society and Space |
Institutional architecture and implementation
To ensure the swift and effective implementation of the AMSSA Joint Africa- EU Sub-Programme as well as the agreed priority activities and to promote the widest possible ownership and visibility of the process, the partnership will establish the appropriate institutional architecture and implementation modalities. In this context, the AMSSA partnership will agree on the following activities:
| A | Establish more frequent contacts between African and EU senior stakeholders and decision makers of EU and AU institutions with an interest in Maritime Safety, Security and Marine Environmental Protection |
| B | Establish a mapping of existing European and African Maritime Safety, Security and Marine Environmental Protection networks; |
| C | Establish a platform for European and African research institutes and think tanks to provide independent policy advice with regards to Maritime Safety, Security and Marine Environmental Protection |
| D | Create a web portal to facilitate consultations with civil society organisations (CSOs) and other interested parties |
| E | Provide improved information for relevant meetings that occur between the European and AU Commissions and of the 6-monthly Joint AU-EU Task Force meetings, and enhance their efficiency and greater operational continuity; ahead of key policy decisions; through the provision of focused information in relation to Maritime Safety, Security and Marine Environmental Protection |
| F | Establish informal joint expert groups on all the priority actions identified in the AMSSA programme |
| G | Provide an annual joint report on the progress and implementation of the AMSSA programme to be presented at meeting where required (for example to the Ministerial Troika meetings) |
| H | To hold a final conference to review the results of the AMSSA programme and to approve a stage two if required. |
VISION: The vision is, to provide a scientific and intelligence platform for African Member States and other Maritime Stakeholders on matters relating to the safe, secure and clean movement of maritime transport, and the prevention of the loss of human lives at sea.
AMSSA will establish and coordinate the formation of collaborative projects, of African Maritime Safety, Security and for Marine Environmental Protection and their associated networks. These integrated sub projects will promote the African Maritime Transport Charter and will aim to develop actions, services and initiatives by progressing projects from concept through the embryonic phases to the implementation stage by building capacity.
To ensure the success of these network projects, AMSSA activities will cover (i) support for activities through direct funding, project coordination and management, as well as intellectual property management where required; (ii) support of network structure via investments in shared research equipment and facilities, as well as provision of an intelligence platform for knowledge management; and (iii) brokerage of relationships with key stakeholders and funders through advocacy, and fostering partnerships with various public and private players in Africa and outside.
The following objectives provide the AMSSA research framework
A. advance a maritime safety and security scientific, technical & intelligence platform for policy makers and MTS stakeholders
B. develop an African (scientific and technical) maritime integrated safety, security and environmental protection strategic plan for future development
C. create a new African scientific and technical platform for African maritime integrated crisis security research systems that will also test the feasibility and promote LRIT systems as well as joint surveillance systems such as Safeseanet, Cleanseanet
D. design and develop feasibility and needs analysis for implementation of the integrated coastguard networks, maritime crisis command centres, and shore-based surveillance and security systems,
E. identify and accelerate innovative opportunities aimed at harmonised training for Africa maritime administrations and national ports authorities
F. create a new cohesive standardised pan African training programme for maritime safety and security operators
G. advance standardised risk assessment methodologies, design environments and protocols for African operational maritime crisis-security command centres
H. extend state of the art technologies relating to operational safety/security training for Africa maritime administrations and national ports authorities
I. increase international visibility for African maritime safety, security and environmental protection based on intelligence computer platforms
AMSSA consist of five actions
Action One: Science and Technology: aims to develop an African maritime safety and security scientific, technical & intelligence platform for policy makers and MTS stakeholders. (Linked to Objectives A, B, C & D and is strategically linked to the African Maritime Transport Charter Action Plan 1.2, 1.3 and 3.9)
Action Two: Capacity Building (Academic) - aims at identifying and accelerating innovative opportunities for harmonised training and University pathways for African students, maritime administration, national ports authorities and other stakeholders and to create a new cohesive and International Maritime Organisations approved standardised pan African academic programmes designed for the management of maritime safety and security. This will include the development and establishment of a network of EU/AU and International Universities. (Linked to Objectives E & F and is strategically linked to the African Maritime Transport Charter Action Plan (2) Capacity Building 2.1)
Action Three: Capacity Building (Operational) - aims to (i) examine maritime administration profiles and the implementation of innovative harmonised maritime security and marine environmental protection operational and vocational training based on results. (ii) To test a new cohesive standardised pan African training programme for maritime safety and security operators and ports. This will include for example in country capacity for the implementation of International Conventions with regards the safety and security of Economic Exclusive Zones (EEZs) the ISPS code and for SAR related operations) (Linked to Objectives C, D, G, & H and strategically linked to the African Maritime Transport Charter Action Plan (2) Capacity Building 2.1 (3) Strengthening Maritime Safety and Security 3.3, 3.7 &3.8)
Action Four: Marine Environmental Protection – aims to enhance marine and coastal environment protection in all maritime transport operation (MARPOL and its protocols, Bunker Convention, AFS Convention and others), to assist the development, establishment and implementation of contingency plans to prevent and/or respond effectively to maritime transport related spills and to increase linkages between scientific marine orientated institutions and maritime administrations. (Linked to Objectives A, B, C, D and strategically linked to the African Maritime Transport Charter Action Plan (3) Strengthening Maritime Safety and Security 3.6)
Action Five: Strengthening of European and inter-African and International Cooperation – aims to provide the overall communications management and technical assistance for the project for the project duration (linked to Action 1). This will include the establishment of sustainable information networks among African Maritime Authorities and European counterparts, and cooperation and knowledge sharing among technical experts. Promotion will include the development and provision of technical reports pertaining to outputs of each action and aimed at high level decision makers and politicians.
Key Sub-Objectives will include:
http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs/policy_documents_en.html
