Union Cabinet approves Agreement with UNESCO on establishment of ITCOO in Hyderabad

The Union Cabinet approved the establishment of International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography (ITCOO), as a Category-2 Centre (C2C) of UNESCO, in Hyderabad, Telangana.
The purpose of this agreement is to establish training centre towards development of capacity for countries on Indian Ocean Rim (IOR), African countries bordering Indian and Atlantic Oceans, small island countries under framework of UNESCO.

Operational Oceanography

It is an activity of conducting systematic oceanographic studies towards providing information services to various sectors viz. fisherman, shipping, ports, disaster management, environment, coastal states, navy, coast guard, offshore industries for conducting their day-to- day operations.

C2C of UNESCO at ITCOO

The Centre will provide assistance in areas of capacity building and training, knowledge sharing and exchange of information, and hence could represent valuable resource for UNESCO and its Intergovernmental Oceanography Commission (IOC) by enhancing impact and visibility of UNESCO’s action.

Significance

The centre will provide opportunity for India to emerge as leading country in Indian Ocean. It will forge cooperation and improve engagement between India and counties of IOR, including South Asian and African states bordering Indian Ocean.
The centre will respond to worldwide increasing need to build technical and management capacity to address marine and coastal sustainability issues and prepare region for and react efficiently to marine natural hazards. It will contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal-14 related to building marine scientific research capacity in geographical area. It will also fulfill commitments to support Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States.

Month: Current Affairs - December, 2017