At the heart of regional cooperation in Maputo – empowering the SADC MCSCC
November 23 2023
The MCSCC is instrumental to successful regional cooperation. Even before the entry into force of the Charter, the team provided SADC Member States with rapid information and intelligence reports on demand.
To support this dynamic, SADC Member States and the MCSCC host country Mozambique now have the responsibility to ensure that the MCSCC has the capacity to operate successfully on the human, institutional and infrastructure level. Today, the current MCSCC team consists of two officers seconded by Mozambique, which is insufficient considering the scope of the responsibilities of the Centre. More staff from Mozambique and other SADC contracting parties to the MCSCC will be necessary to capacitate the MCSCC. Secondment of personnel within the Centre is also an asset for SADC Member States, enabling them representation and improved cooperation. The secondment of personnel will be discussed in December with the MCSCC Task Force.
This commitment of SADC Member States in the successful operation of the MCSCC must also be reflected in their efforts to fulfil the commitment to share information on fisheries activities in their waters, as set in the 2001 Protocol of Fisheries and in the 2017 MCSCC Charter. Since the signing of the Protocol of Fisheries, the SADC contracting parties have understood that sharing such information is central to efforts to coordinate measures against IUU fishing. Once more, the MCSCC has called on all MCSCC contracting parties to share the list of fishing vessels operating in their waters. This is a first step towards the setting-up of a regional vessel register, one of the central functions of the MCSCC.
Coaching of the MCSCC staff will continue, notably to support efficient information-sharing amongst countries, and draw lessons learnt on the intelligence collected for more effective collective action against IUU fishing. The technical team is committed to help SADC countries live up to their ambitions to combat IUU fishing, working towards a common future.
