A group of West African States sharing maritime space discussed transboundary cooperation on the use of dispersants at sea following oil pollution incidents, at a workshop in Dakar, Senegal (28-31 October).
Thirty-one participants from government authorities in Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, The Gambia, Mauritania, Senegal, the industry and other stakeholders discussed cooperation and mutual assistance and harmonising their respective national policies on the use of dispersants following oil spills.
Chemical dispersants, when used appropriately, can be applied on oil slicks at sea to reduce environmental damage, particularly by reducing shoreline contamination.
The countries represented at the workshop share a maritime space that is vital for their economies and ecosystems. The expansion of oil-related activities and maritime trade increases the risk of pollution, which can have major transboundary impacts.
Following on the recommendation that came out of the last GI WACAF regional conference in November 2024 to harmonize national policies on the use of dispersants, this workshop represented a first step in a process aimed at strengthen regional cooperation and mutual assistance among the participating countries in case of an incident, based on the Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC 90) and the Convention for Cooperation in the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Atlantic Coast of the West and Central Africa Region (Abidjan Convention), with a focus on dispersant application.
Each State and stakeholder reiterated their commitment to stronger operational cooperation in the region. The participants also committed to continuing the work in 2026 to develop a draft agreement for regional assistance in dispersant use, through work at the national level and through bilateral and multilateral exchanges, with the aim to discuss a final draft in late 2026.
The workshop was delivered through IMO's Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP) under the framework of the Global Initiative for West, Central and Southern Africa (GI WACAF). It forms part of the Organization's commitment to supporting African Small Island Developing States (SIDs) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
Further information on dispersants can be found in the IMO Guidelines on the use of Dispersants for Combating Oil Pollution at Sea, which provide information on dispersants and their role in a coordinated oil spill response operation.
