SA lands key maritime role
19 January 2007
South Africa is set to play a key role in sea search and rescue missions in Africa for the United Nations, following the establishment of a subregional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Cape Town.
Transport Minister Jeff Radebe and Efthimios Mitropoulos, head of the UN's International Maritime Organisation (IMO), signed an agreement to establish the centre on Tuesday.
According to the South African Press Association (Sapa), the agreement established Cape Town as a hub for maritime rescue in the oceans around Angola, the Comoros, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa.
Four of these countries - the Comoros, Madagascar, Mozambique and SA - have so far signed the agreement. Angola and Namibia were expected to add their signatures later this month, Sapa reports.
Speaking at the event, Radebe said the agreement would boost the region's economies.
"This a groundbreaking development with the [Southern African Development Community] region and the region's commitment to the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad) in terms of economic growth, trade and development as well as international trade."
Cape Town's existing Maritime Rescue Co-ordinating Centre will take on the new role of MRCC for southern African region, and has recently been refurbished for the job. Officials at Tuesday's signing told Sapa that South Africa funds the MRCC to the tune of R4-million a year.
Radebe said that challenges facing Cape Town's new Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre - including lack of search and rescue infrastructure and skills - would have to be addressed by "all role-players in the maritime industry".
South Africa, he said, was "committed to be a global player in search and rescue matters and will continue to give her unwavering support to the objectives and efforts of the IMO and the SADC region to make search and rescue a worldwide system."
SAinfo reporter
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