Regional Convention for the Conservation of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Environment

 

Article X
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL CO-OPERATION

1. The Contracting Parties shall co-operate directly, or through
competent international and regional organizations, in the fields of
scientific research, monitoring, assessment and combating of pollution in
the Sea Area, and shall exchange data as well as other scientific
information for the purpose of the present Convention, its protocols and
the action plan.

2. The Contracting Parties shall co-operate further to develop and
co-ordinate national monitoring and research programmes concerning all
types of pollution and pollution combating, as well as studies and
research on the marine environment. They shall co-operate further to
develop and co-ordinate necessary supporting programmes, such as marine-
meteorology programmes, and to establish, in cooperation with competent
regional or International Organizations , a regional network of such
programmes to ensure compatible results. For this purpose, each
Contracting Party shall designate the National Authority responsible for
environmental research and monitoring and for marine meteorological
monitoring within the areas under its national jurisdiction.

3. The Organization and ALECSO shall cooperate in matters of common
interest for the purpose of mutual co-ordination and exchange of
technical assistance, information and documents.

Article XI
ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

1. Each Contracting Party shall give due consideration to marine
environmental effects when planning or executing projects, including an
assessment of potential environmental effects, particularly in the
coastal areas.

2. The Contracting Parties may, in consultation with the General
Secretariat, develop procedures for dissemination of information on the
assessment of the activities referred to in paragraph 1 of this article.

3. The Contracting Parties undertake to develop, individually or jointly
environmental standards technical and other guidelines in accordance with
standard scientific practice to assist the planning and execution of
their projects in such a way as to minimize their harmful impact on the
marine environment. In this regard international standards may be used
where appropriate.

Article XII
TECHNICAL AND OTHER ASSISTANCE

The Contracting Parties shall co-operate, directly or through competent
regional or International Organizations , in the development of programmes
of technical and other assistance, in fields relating to the marine
environment and its conservation in coordination with the Organization.

Article XIII
LIABILITY AND COMPENSATION

The Contracting Parties undertake to co-operate in the formulation and
adoption of appropriate rules and procedures for the determination of:

1. Civil liability and compensation for damage resulting from pollution
of the marine environment bearing in mind applicable international rules
and procedures relating to those matters; and

2. Liability and compensation for damage resulting from violation of
obligations under the present Convention and its protocols.

Article XIV
SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY

1. Warships and other ships owned or operated by a State, and used only
on government non-commercial service, shall be exempted from the
application of the provisions of the present Convention.

2. Subject to paragraph 1 above, each Contracting Party shall, as far as
possible, ensure that its warships or other ships owned or operated by
that Party, and used only on government non-commercial service, shall
comply with the provisions of the present Convention.

Article XV
Disclaimer

Nothing in the present Convention shall prejudice or affect the rights or
claims of any Contracting Party with regard to the nature or extent of
its maritime jurisdiction which may be established in conformity with
international law.

Article XVI
REGIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR THE CONSERVATION
OF THE RED SEA AND GULF OF ADEN ENVIRONMENT

1. A Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Red Sea and Gulf
of Aden Environment, the permanent headquarters of which shall be located
in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is hereby established.

2. The Organization shall consist of the following organs:

(a) A Council comprised of a representative of each Contracting
Party;

(b) A General Secretariat;

(c) A Committee for the Settlement of Disputes whose composition,
terms of reference and rules of procedure shall be decided by the
Council.

3. The Organization shall enjoy, in the territory of each Contracting
Party, all legal qualifications necessary for the discharge of its duties
and the performance of all activities concerned with the achievement of
its aims.

Article XVII
THE COUNCIL

1. (a) Membership of the Council shall be made up of the Contracting
Parties, each Contracting Party having one vote in the meetings of the
Council.

(b) Meetings of the Council shall be attended by the Director General
of ALECSO or his delegate.

2. The Council shall hold one ordinary meeting every year, and may hold
extraordinary meetings in accordance with its rules of procedure.
Meetings shall be convened at the headquarters of the Organization or at
any place as prescribed by its internal regulations or by the Council.
The Chairmanship of the Council shall be given to each Contracting Party,
in turn, in the Arabic alphabetical order starting with the Depositary
State. The term of office of the Chairman shall be one year.

3. Two thirds of the Council membership shall constitute a quorum for its
meetings.

4. The voting procedure in the Council shall be as follows:

(a) Decisions on important matters shall be taken by a unanimous vote
of the Contracting Parties present and voting;

(b) Decisions on procedural matters shall be taken by a two-thirds
majority vote of the Contracting Parties present and voting.

Article XVIII
DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNCIL

The Council shall have the duties and functions necessary to achieve the
objectives of this Convention and its protocols, and in particular:

(a) To adopt its internal regulations;

(b) To keep under review the implementation of the Convention and its
protocols, and the action plan adopted for the achievement of the
purposes of this Convention and its protocols;

(c) To make recommendations regarding the adoption of any additional
protocols or any amendments to the Convention or to its protocols;

(d) To adopt, review and amend, as required, the annexes to this
Convention and to its protocols;

(e) To adopt and conclude agreements with States or with
organizations with similar purposes or interests within the aims of this
Convention and for the achievement of its purposes and which the Council
deems necessary for the discharge of its duties;

(f) To review and evaluate the state of the marine environment and
coastal areas on the basis of reports provided by the Contracting
Parties, or by the international organizations concerned;

(g) To establish subsidiary bodies and ad hoc working groups, as
required, to consider any matters related to this Convention and its
protocols or related to the annexes of this Convention and its protocols
or related to the action plan;

(h) To consider reports submitted by the Contracting Parties and
reports prepared by the General Secretariat on questions relating to the
Convention and to matters relevant to the administration of the
Organization and to decide upon them;

(i) To endeavour to settle any differences or disputes between the
Contracting Parties as to the interpretation or implementation of this
Convention or its protocols or annexes;

(j) To appoint the Secretary General;

(k) To adopt and issue its rules of procedure, administrative and
financial regulations guided by the constitution and regulations of
ALECSO. The Council may adopt or amend any other regulations necessary
for the discharge of its duties;

(l) To adopt the financial rules which determine, in particular, the
contributions of the Contracting Parties;

(m) To adopt the financial budget of the Organization;

(n) To adopt the projects and budgets for the Organization
activities;

(o) To approve a report on the work and activities of the
Organization to be submitted for information to the ALECSO General
Conference;

(p) To define and develop relations between the Organization and Arab
organizations or bodies;

(q) To perform any additional functions necessary for the achievement
of the purposes of this Convention and its protocols or which the Council
deems necessary for the discharge of its duties.

 

Author: international

Mentioned in these Entries

Disclaimer, International Organizations, Regional Convention for the Conservation of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Environment, Settlement of Disputes.