Convention for Co-operation in the Protection and Development of the Marine

Article 1
GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE

This Convention shall cover the marine environment, coastal zones and
related inland waters falling within the jurisdiction of the States of
the West and Central African Region, from Mauritania to Namibia
inclusive, which have become Contracting Parties to this Convention under
conditions set forth in article 27 and paragraph 1 of article 28
(hereinafter referred to as the Convention area).

Article 2
DEFINITIONS

For the purposes of this Convention:

1. “Pollution”means the introduction by man, directly or indirectly, of
substances or energy into the marine environment, coastal zones, and
related inland waters resulting in such deleterious effects as harm to
living resources, hazards to human health, hindrance to marine
activities, including fishing, impairment of quality for use of sea-water
and reduction of amenities.

2. “Organization”means the body designated as the secretariat of the
Convention and its related protocols according to article 16 of the
Convention.

Article 3
GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. The Contracting Parties may enter into bilateral or multilateral
agreements, including regional or subregional agreements, for the
protection of the marine and coastal environment of the West and Central
African Region, provided that such agreements are consistent with this
Convention and conform to international law. Copies of such agreements
shall be deposited with the Organization and, through the Organization,
communicated to all Contracting Parties.

2. Nothing in this Convention or related protocols shall be deemed to
affect obligations assumed by a Contracting Party under agreements
previously concluded.

3. Nothing in this Convention shall prejudice the Codification and
development of the law of the sea by the United Nations Conference on the
Law of the Sea convened pursuant to resolution 2750 C (XXV) of the
General Assembly of the United Nations, nor the present or future claims
and legal views of any Contracting Party concerning the nature and extent
of its maritime jurisdiction.

Article 4
GENERAL OBLIGATIONS

1. The Contracting Parties shall, individually or jointly as the case may
be, take all appropriate measures in accordance with the provisions of
this Convention and its protocols in force to which they are parties to
prevent, reduce, combat and control pollution of the Convention area and
to ensure sound environmental management of natural resources, using for
this purpose the best practicable means at their disposal, and in
accordance with their capabilities.

2. In addition to the Protocol concerning cooperation in combating
pollution in cases of emergency opened for signature on the same date as
this Convention, the Contracting Parties shall cooperate in the
formulation and adoption of other protocols prescribing agreed measures,
procedures, and standards to prevent, reduce, combat and control
pollution from all sources or promoting environmental management in
conformity with the objectives of this Convention.

3. The Contracting Parties shall establish national laws and regulations
for the effective discharge of the obligations prescribed in this
Convention, and shall endeavour to harmonize their national policies in
this regard.

4. The Contracting Parties shall co-operate with the competent
international, regional and subregional organizations to establish and
adopt recommended practices, procedures and measures to prevent, reduce,
combat and control pollution from all sources in conformity with the
objectives of this Convention and its related protocols, and to assist
each other in fulfilling their obligations under this Convention and its
related protocols.

5. In taking measures to prevent, reduce, combat and control pollution of
the Convention area or to promote environmental management, the
Contracting Parties shall act so as not to transfer, directly or
indirectly, damage or hazards from one area to another or transform one
type of pollution into another.

Article 5
POLLUTION FROM SHIPS

The Contracting Parties shall take all appropriate measures in conformity
with international law to prevent, reduce, combat and control pollution
in the Convention area caused by normal or accidental discharges from
ships, and shall ensure the effective application in the Convention area
of the internationally recognized rules and standards relating to the
control of this type of pollution.

Article 6
POLLUTION CAUSED BY DUMPING FROM SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT

The Contracting Parties shall take all appropriate measures to prevent,
reduce, combat and control pollution in the Convention area caused by
dumping from ships and aircraft, and shall ensure the effective
application in the Convention area of the internationally recognized
rules and standards relating to the control of this type of pollution.

Article 7
POLLUTION FROM LAND-BASED SOURCES

The Contracting Parties shall take all appropriate measures to prevent,
reduce, combat and control pollution of the Convention area caused b
discharges from rivers, estuaries, coastal establishments and outfalls,
coastal dumping or emanating from any other sources on their territories.

Article 8
POLLUTION FROM ACTIVITIES RELATING TO
EXPLORATION AND EXPLOITATION OF THE SEA-BED

The Contracting Parties shall take all appropriate measures to prevent,
reduce, combat and control pollution resulting from or in connection with
activities relating to the exploration and exploitation of the sea-bed
and its subsoil subject to their jurisdiction and from artificial
islands, installations and structures under their jurisdiction.

Article 9
POLLUTION FROM OR THROUGH THE ATMOSPHERE

The Contracting Parties shall take all appropriate measures to prevent,
reduce, combat and control pollution in the Convention area resulting
from or transported through the atmosphere.

Article 10
COASTAL EROSION

The Contracting Parties shall take all appropriate measures to prevent,
reduce, combat and control coastal erosion in the Convention area
resulting from man’s activities, such as land reclamation and coastal
engineering.

Article 11
SPECIALLY PROTECTED AREAS

The Contracting Parties shall, individually or jointly as the case may
be, take all appropriate measures to protect and preserve rare or fragile
ecosystems as well as the habitat of depleted, threatened or endangered
species and other marine life. To this end, the Contracting Parties shall
endeavour to establish protected areas, such as parks and reserves, and
to prohibit or control any activity likely to have adverse effects on the
species, ecosystems or biological processes in such areas.

Author: international

Mentioned in these Entries

Codification, Convention for Co-operation in the Protection and Development of the Marine 2, Convention for Co-operation in the Protection and Development of the Marine 3, Conventions: Chronological Index 1971-1990, Marine and Coastal conventions.