Delivery of the Regional Workshop on Managing Emergency Preparedness and Response in the Oil and Gas Sector: Training Summary and Documentation. ergency Preparedness and Response in the Oil and Gas Sector 17-20 October 2017, Zanzibar, Tanzania

In the past 10 years, there has been explosive growth of oil exploration activities in the Western Indian Ocean region. Reserves have been found along the eastern coast of Africa, and current efforts to harness hydrocarbon resources are ongoing. During the development and production phases, oil spills and other oil/gas-related emergencies are possible, thus requiring robust emergency preparedness and response capabilities. In addition to the oil industry related activities taking place in the countries, a significant amount of oil and gas shipping traverse the Western Indian Ocean. As oil spills can cross boundaries, it is also important that countries in the region are able to coordinate with one another in advance to respond to oil and gas industry related emergencies.

A Regional Workshop on Emergency Preparedness and Response in the Oil and Gas Sector was carried out from 17-20 October, 2017, in Zanzibar, Tanzania, which was co-organized by the Norwegian Coastal Administration under Norway’s Oil for Development Programme, the Nairobi Convention Secretariat and UN Environment. Participants included Government representatives from countries that are signatory to the Nairobi Convention and from Uganda. 10 countries were represented in total.

Other collaborating partners which delivered technical presentations during the training included: Indian Ocean Commission, East Africa Community, UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre, International Maritime Organisation, International Tanker Owner Pollution Federation (ITOPF), and the State University of Zanzibar. This note summarizes the main highlights and conclusions of the workshop.