EU-ACP Rapporteur Klass +co-President Jackson +EUCommissioner Piebalgs to EuroFora: Sea Minerals RST

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- A much needed Good Regulation of New Cooperation Projects between EU and ACP Countries in the Novel field of Seabed's Oil/Gas and Minerals Resources, recently of Growing Potential, based mainly on a Shared response to the Vital Necessity to boost Scientific Research, Education and Technological innovation and know-how, in this new area of Crucial importance both  for Economy and Natural Environment, could and must help solve the problem of sustainable Development of Poor Countries,  stressed Christa Klass, vice-President of EU-ACP Joint Parliamentary Assembly, as well as of EU Parliament's Environment, Health and Food safety Committee, a German MEP from the Governing ChristianDemocrat Party of Chancellor Angie Merkel, in an Interview with "EuroFora", in view of the forthcoming EU - Africa Summit in Brussels on April 2 and 3.

Klass was strongly supported Today in Strasbourg by an Unanimous Vote of all EU and ACP Parliamentary Representatives, who adopted without any amendment her Report and draft Resolution on "Mining for Oil and Minerals on the Seabed, in the Context of Sustainable Development" : A Topical issue, which is due to become an integral part of a comprehensive  EU Maritime Strategy that the current Greek EU Presidency is notoriously preparing for Final Decisions by the forthcoming EU Heads of State/Government  Summit in Brussels on June 2014.

She had prepared that Text together with fellow EU-ACP JPA Member Joe Koim Komun, from Papua - New Guinea, a Pacific Ocean Country with several off shore Islands, between China, Japan and Australia, which obviously has a Vital Interest in such issues : Indeed, Papua New Guinea is at present a Global Pioneer in these matters, as its Government was already the ...1st in the World to give a "go ahead.. to start .. deep sea mining" by Canadian "Nautilus Minerals",  before any other Country, already since "August 2012", according to recent Global Press Reports f.ex. on "Mining in the South Pacific" Ocean, compiled by Dr. Roland Seib at nearby Darmstadt (Germany). 

    - Speaking shortly after that Vote with "EuroFora", the co-President of the EU-ACP JPA, Fitz A. Jackson from Jamaica, nwho is both a long-time and still acting Minister of Finance and Planning, as well as Chairman of the National Parliament's Economic Committee, stressed that the Most Important point for him was that it proves that "Europe and ACP Countries are now United together" on such a crucial issue for the foreseable Future.

     + But Jackson, who has also served earlier as former Minister of Education, topically joining together Today these 2 Experiences in Economic and Intellectual Development, went on to observe the fact that Klass' and Komun's Report "also deals with the need to "protect the Natural Environment of the Seas", before, during and after Oil/Minerals' exploitation, as he spontaneously added to "EuroFora": I.e. pointing to the fact that both Economic Exploration and Environment Protection in Deep Seabed's New Horizon for Humankind obviously Need effiicient results from Scientific Research and Technological Innovation, as well as to be spread, clearly understood, well accepted, and adequately used in real practice, through Education, Professional Training and Sharing of Knowledge and Know-How; precisely as Klass' Report stresses in its corpus.

    > In this regard, it's certainly Important to note that in Jamaica, Jackson's own Country, is Headquartered the UNO-sponsored "International Seabed Authority" (ISA), established since 1994 to Regulate mineral extraction from the deep seabed outside national zones of jurisdiction. Already, ISA has reportedly Approved some 20 Mineral Prospecting Licences in the Deep Ocean around the World for companies and government bodies, including China and India, as well as those sponsored by the Pacific island nations of Kiribati, Nauru and Tonga, or Cook Islands, etc. 
   
    "Significant deep sea Resources are often found within ... the developing world, often within the Nations’ Exclusive economic Zones (EEZ)  [that stretch up to 200 nautical miles from their shore], even if “those countries often don’t have the necessary Expertise or Technology to explore the deep seabed. So (that)  they often rely on countries that do have" that. In consequence, “it’s very important that we do a lot of Capacity Building, information Sharing and Transfer of expertise", so that those Countries can become Able to manage their own deep ocean resources", according to Experts cited by the specializez Review: "Mining in the South Pacific" in its latest edition published on February 28, 2014, by Dr. Roland Seib at nearby Darmstadt.

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    => Indeed;, since such Projects require "New Technologies", and, therefore, "the 1st" thing to do is to develop the necessary Scientific "Research" in this novel area of activities, EU/ACP JPA's Rapporteur, MEP Christa Klass stressed from the outset, speaking to "EuroFora".

    Klass made it clear that this concerns mainly the very "Deep Sea" Mineral Resources, which have started to become practicaly accessible to exploration and extraction only recently.        

 
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    >>> Thus, the Resolution she drafted, as it was endorsed Today by the EU - CPA JPA, "Urges ACP Countries to deploy Skilled and Experienced EXPERTS, when Negotiating Mineral Contracts with mining Companies", and "encourages" them "to Invest in their own Legal and Mining Specialists, through EDUCATION and TRAINING".

    - This is "in order to guarantee the ....Accumulation of KNOWLEDGE" needed in this New area of activities. + In parallel, the adopted Resolution also "Calls on the EU and its Member States to Support (relevant) Knowledge-Transfert initiatives".

    => Concerning Concrete Measures in this regard, the Unanimously adopted Text, drafted by German MEP Klass and Papua-New Guinea representative Komun, f.ex. "encourages AFP and EU Countries to Establish or Strengthen NATIONAL AGENCIES for SCIENCE, Technology and Innovation, together with Monitoring capacity, to Pomote Technologies and Know-how in Seabed Exploration and Mining, in order to improve sustainability and Safety, where Seabed Exploration and Mining is taking place", (Articles 4 + 13).
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    + EU Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, speaking earlier to "EuroFora", and combining the Experience he's got from his 2 successive Missions, initially in charge of Energy EU policies, and afterwards of Development, he found, indeed, that, if Industrialized States and Compagnies searching for Gas/Oil and/or other Minerals at the Seabed, shared the Science, Technology and Experienced Know-How that is required to boost for such activities, with the ACP Countries where such Natural Resources exist, then, an adequate arrangement of that could provide a New Stimulus for a sustainable Development of these Countries. Obviously, this could usefuly interact, in a much Wider context, with the New EU Development Fund that Commissioner Piebalgs helped set up with some 30,5 Billions reportedly earmarked € from 2014 until 2020.

Piebalgs also launched earlier a call to ACP Countries, as a matter of general Principle, not to limit their Economy's GDP only into extracting and exporting raw Materials, but to strive to develop, also, their own active involvement in any sustainable Productive process able to make grow the Potential and the Capacities of their country in the foreseable Future, as he stressed in substance.

    +Such moves about Sharing Production-related Science and Technological know how,  fitted quite well with Today's active participation, to EU-ACP's JPA, by the Head of UNO-sponsored new "Global Partnership for Education", Alice AllBright, who, speaking about that new program backed by UNO Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon in order to redress recently growing Gaps in Access to Education Worldwide, focused on Networking with ACP Countries' representatives about Concrete Projects, and invited them to actively participate in a forthcoming, important International Conference, organized by the GPE in Brussels on June, in order to discuss and shape such projects, (even if at least some of them, in the particular case of many ACP Countries, would have also to "face even Analphabetism", at the same time, as warned an African delegate)....

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    >>> Indeed, as the adopted Resolution critically denounces from the outset, at its 1st Article, the EU - ACP Joint Parliamentary Assembly "express(es) .. Concern that, despite the fact that Developing Countries are Endowed with Rich Mineral Resources", nevertheless, the current Trade Pattern, whereby they Export Raw Materials and Buy Manufactured Products, from Industrialized Countries, has Failed to address continued Problems of Poverty".

    - Therefore, EU-ACP JPA's Rapporteur, German ChristianDemocrat MEP Klass, stressed to "EuroFora" that the main issue would be to boost "Adequate Cooperation" between ACP and EU Countries, in relation with New "Projects" on Oil/Gas and Minerals at the Seabed.

    => Indeed, the Resolution that she crafted "calls on ACP-EU Governments to put an End to the "resource Curse", by putting "the rich Mineral Resources of ACP Countries at the Heart of their Development Strategy, (and) for the Benefit of the whole Population, instead of ...Only enriching Investors and small Elites, without benefiting ordinary Citizens".

    + Moreover, while "Natural Resources" are "a preCondition for the Economic activity, Employment and Welfare of a Country",

    however, both "Short Term and Long-Term Consequences of Mining Operations, especially in the Deep Sea", still "remain Unclear" Today, while "there are persisting Concerns" f.ex. on eventually "increased Toxicity of Water", "Changes in the Habitat", "Leakages, Spills, Corrosion", etc., which must be addressed with adequate Safeguards, observes the Klass' and Komun's Report.

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    =>  These are 2 main reasons for which we (EU) must help ACP Countries to boost their "Self-Confidence", so that they can start using their Rights,  stressed to "EuroFora" the EU-ACP JPA's Rapporteur, German MEP Klass.

    + Moreover,  we Need to forge adequate "Legal Rules" for such Projects, "as a 1st Step" by the EU, but without ever losing sight of the fact that, obviously, in order to be efficient, the International Community really needs Today to set a Global Legal Regulation on Energy and Minerals' exploitation at the Deep Seabed, applicable Worldwide, as she told us.

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    + This meets also a No 1 Priority of the current EU Presidency by Greece, whose Prime Minister, Antonis Samaras, officially confirmed on January 2014 at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, what he had previously discussed with his counterparts during the December 2012 EU Heads of State/Government Summit and revealed in a meetig with Journalists, including "EuroFora", then in Brussels (Comp. "EuroFora"s NewsReports from the spot), as regards the declared intention to try to Boost EU's Sea Policies, including vis a vis Energy and Security/Defence topical aspects, inciting the EU to adopt a comptehensive and extensive Maritime Strategy at the forthcoming June 2014 EU Summit.

    That's one of the reasons for which the incumbent Greek EU Presidency gave a particular Attention to the present EU-ACP Joint Parliamentary Assembly, this week in Strasbourg, which was formally opened yesterday by the Speaker of the Greek Parliament, former Minister of Defence and experienced long-time MEP at the PanEuropean CoE in Strasbvourg, Evangelos Meimarakis, while also the Minister for EU affairs, Kyriakos Gerontopoulos, actively participated in almost all EU - ACP JPA's Session this Week in Strasbourg

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        - At any case, it should be excluded for any Mining Company to just extract Minerals and afterwards abandon the area and leave : On the contrary, it's from the outset that any serious Operator should prepare and present a Plan in order to prevent and/or redress any eventually negative alteration of an area in which it searched and extracted Minerals, added Klass, before agreeing with "EuroFora" on the fact that there are several examples, even at nearby Germany, of former Industrial Areas, which had been polluted in the Past, but afterwards treated and reVitalized, sometimes so good that they have become in the Future ... Holiday destinations for Tourists seeking Nature (f.ex. a Lake, a Field, etc) !...

    + Indeed, "the Governments of ACP Countries exercice Sovereignity and Jurisdiction over their respective Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) in accordance with International Law, as parties of the UNO's Convention on the Law of the Sea" , "whereas, it's a settled Principle of International Law that Mineral Resources in the High Seas, being Beyond the Maritime Jurisdiction of a State's EEZ, are the Common Heritage of Humankind", points out the Unanimously adopted Resolution of the EU - ACP JPA.

     - "Deep Sea.... begins at a depth of around 200 m." until several Thousands meters below surface., "both within and beyond Zones of National jurisdiction", and "makes up about 2/3 of the World’s Oceans", remind recent Global Press Reports cited by  the "Mining in the South Pacific" Ocean Review, compiled by Dr. Seib at the nearby German city of Darmstadt.

    A comprehensive and quality overview of almost all Scientific, Economic and Political issues raised by the New Perspectives opened Worldwide with the growing Technological Possibilities to Access Deep Seas' Natural Resources in "classic" Oil/Gas and/or Metals, as well as polymetallic Nodules including "Rare Earth" Metals, used by High-Tech. processes, but also some unbelievable in the Past "Genetic" Resources from various Strange Forms of Life even in Extreme Conditions of Great Depths, followed by Debates between Experts, was organized with the active participation as a Speaker of Monaco's Prince Albert II, at the Oceanographic Institute of Paris, as early as back on October 2011, where "EuroFora" had been invited.

    Prince Albert II, who told us then that he was regularly in touch with the competent EU Commissioner for Maritime policy, Maria Damanaki from Greece, during his frequent visits to Brussels at various occasions, is .. a Living Symbol for Deep Sea exploration and protection :  Both by his own Family (grandson of late Prince Albert I, founder of an International Oceanographic Museum and Institute, headquartered at Monaco and permanently present also in Paris, as well as son of late Prince Rainier whosupported the famous and popular "Dr. Cousteau" Documentary TV Films for Decades, making Millions of People discover the beauty of UnderSea life and landscapes, but also a Wold famous International class Swimmer sportsman himself, similar to his Wife, Charlène Wittstock, a Top Sportswoman from South Africa, with whom he got married on 2011), and by his current relevant activities f.ex. as President of the "International Commission for the Scientific Exploration of the Mediterranean Sea" (CIESM), with 24 Member States, including, recently also Russia, Keynote Speaker at European/International Conferences on the Exploration and protection of Oceans, active participant in relevant Global Events, as f.ex. with "Monaco's Blue Initiative" for the Oceans, also at a superb Pavillon in the 2012 Seoul International Exhibition (South Korea), at the eve of UNO SG Ban Ki Moon's Global "Initiative for the Protection of Oceans", as well as by attending, hosting and following several UNO Experts' events in this regard, (etc). Thus, "the only Head of State to have personaly visited both the North and the South Pole" as Wikipedia notes, could obviously be, in the foreseable Future, a useful European "Ally", at an International level, to EU-ACP JPA Rappporteur, German MEP Christa Klass' aims to actively contribute to the Sustainable Development and Environment Protection of the Seabed useful for Energy and Minerals' Resources. Remark which made her return an amused but interested Smile to "EuroFora" on that point...

 

 

(Monaco's International Oceanographic Institute, Paris offices, 10/2011)