Launched in 2006, the Global Initiative for West, Central and Southern Africa (GI WACAF Project) is a cooperation between the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and IPIECA, the global oil and gas industry association for environmental and social issues. It aims to assist 22 West, Central and Southern African countries in strengthening their capacity to prepare for and respond to marine oil spills.

The scope is to organise workshops, training, seminars and exercises in collaboration with national authorities in charge of oil spill response and in partnership with local business units. In organising and delivering the said activities, the Project benefits from the support of a network of trained and committed Governmental and industry focal points in-country.

The GI WACAF Project is supported by an effective management system based on six goals of preparedness which reflect the capacity of countries in the region to prepare for and respond to marine oil spills. These goals cover the requirements of the OPRC 90 Convention:

Goal 1 - Legislation: Promote the ratification of the relevant international Conventions

Goal 2 - Contingency plan: Develop National Contingency Plans for all the countries of the region

Goal 3 - Designation of authority: Obtain clarity on roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders

Goal 4 - Regional agreements: Promote the exchange of information and the provision of mutual assistance for oil spill incidents

Goal 5 - Training: Ensure that training and exercises to underpin the National Contingency Plan are delivered in the participating countries on a regular basis

Goal 6 - National capabilities: Support participating countries in developing their own national response system

Given that significant improvements have been achieved since 2006, and considering that some countries are advancing faster than others, the Project agreed in 2015 on supplementary indicators to be used. These new indicators enable a more detailed overview of the status of preparedness in the region, and also help the Project to effectively tailor the assistance provided to each country.

The participating countries conduct national assessments and set out their national priorities during biennial Regional Conferences. This provides the basis of a two-year work programme of activities to be implemented. On average, the Project implements around 12 capacity building activities per year, ensuring the dissemination of good practices in line with the latest developments in the field of oil spill preparedness, response and cooperation.
At the strategic level, the Steering Committee of the Project is composed of representatives from IMO, the oil industry, as well as IPIECA. At the implementation level, a Project Manager and a Project Coordinator form the GI WACAF Secretariat.

As 2016 marked the 10th Anniversary of the Project and 2017 will see the organisation of the 100th GI WACAF activity, the improvements in the region are significant, however there remains much to do as risks change and the expectations for oil spill preparedness continue to be raised. GI WACAF continues to demonstrate the benefits that a regionally focused project, with a long term commitment from its members, can deliver.