Updates from the Ipieca-IMO Global Initiative H1 2025

What is the Global Initiative?

Launched in 1996 The Global Initiative (GI) is a partnership programme between the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Ipieca. It assists governments, through IMO, and the oil and gas industry, through Ipieca, to work together to assist countries in strengthening national structures and capacity for oil spill preparedness and response.

The GI spans three regions:

• West, Central and Southern Africa (GI WACAF)
• Southeast Asia (GI SEA)
• The Black Sea, Caspian Sea and Central Eurasia (OSPRI)
  

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GI WACAF recent activities

• Published the 2024 Annual Report– a comprehensive look back at key achievements and ongoing priorities
• Provided remote technical assistance to support Senegalese authorities in updating their dispersant use regulation
• Attended Interspill 2025 alongside GI SEA, REMPEC and the Bonn Agreement to showcase regional oil spill preparedness frameworks
• Participated in the MASEPLOREX regional oil spill response exercise in Kenya, a key initiative to strengthen preparedness and response capacities in the Western Indian Ocean region
• Delivered a Claims and Compensation Workshop on handling and administration of claims from oil pollution damages for English-speaking member states in Cape Town, with IOPC Funds, IG P&I Club and ITOPF
• In São Tomé and Príncipe, GI WACAF led a national workshop to support the national team in consolidating key technical elements and organising the remaining work required to complete its National Oil Spill Contingency Plan

Coming up

• Support for national dispersant use policy (8-11 September, The Gambia)
• Support for national marine pollution response systems (6-10 October, Guinea)

Explore GI WACAF's latest resources and reports

GI SEA recent activities

• Presented at the Oil Spill Workshop, hosted by Petroleum Association of Japan, highlighting industry issues and the issue ‘dark or shadow fleets’ used to move oil and products
• Attended the ASEAN Maritime Transport Working Group Meeting in Brunei, where it provided updates to ASEAN Member States on regional oil spill preparedness activities, engaged with South East Asian Maritime Authorities and updated the list of focal points for oil spill response matters in ASEAN
• Participated in the East Asian Seas Partnership Council Meeting, Manila, reinforcing its role in multilateral coordination efforts across the region
• Attended an oil spill response and dispersant aircraft mobilisation exercise in Thailand

• Secretariat update: Mr Tawirat (Danny) Bates appointed as the new GI SEA Project Manager

Coming up

• Attend and present at ASEAN Spill Response Forum (November, South Korea)
• Participate in the Gulf of Thailand cooperation meeting (November, Vietnam)
• Deliver a National Sensitivity Mapping Workshop (date TBC, Cambodia)

Explore GI SEA's LinkedIn page

OSPRI recent activities

• Members convened to review and approve the 2025 Business Plan, and to publish the 2024 Annual Report
• The OSPRI team visited Baku, held a meeting with the Ministry of Emergencies, the State Maritime and Port Agency, and SOCAR to explore potential joint opportunities and OSPRI support for the finalisation of Azerbaijan’s National Oil Spill Contingency Plan
• Attended a large-scale emergency exercise in Baku, delivered in collaboration with the International Civil Defence Organisation
• Discussions are also underway with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources to potentially organise national workshop on dispersant use

Coming up

• National sensitivity mapping workshop (September, Kazakhstan)
• Black Sea oil spill exercise (proposed for Q3 with the European Maritime Safety Agency)
• RETOS™ tool will be explored to support the development of national response systems
• Continued collaboration with UN Environment Programme and the International Maritime Organization under the Aktau Protocol:
  • Bravo alert notification drill (September)
  • Alpha table-top exercise on scenario-based planning(date and venue TBC)

Explore OSPRI's Annual Report