Pact signed to strengthen environmental regulation in SEZs, free zones

The Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) and the Environment Authority (EA) signed on Sunday a technical cooperation programme aimed at strengthening and developing cooperation in environmental aspects in the special economic zones and free zones.

The agreement was signed by Dr Ali bin Masoud al Sunaidy, Chairman – OPAZ, and Dr Abdullah bin Ali al Amri, Chairman of Environment Authority.

As part the agreement, both sides with work to exchange experiences that serve the public interest in various fields, including the implementation of the environmental protection and pollution control laws, protection of drinking water resources from pollution, preserving natural reserves, wildlife and biodiversity, and the system for handling and using chemicals. In addition, the programme aims to review the procedures related to issuing licenses and environmental controls, as well as proposing enhancements to those procedures.

Further, the programme stipulates strengthening the coordination between the two authorities in the legislative and supervisory aspects and cooperation in conducting awareness programmes aimed at spreading awareness and instilling concepts and requirements for dealing with the environment among all segments of society, including organising environmental events.

Moreover, both sides will work to implement the decisions of international agreements related to common environmental affairs to which the Sultanate is a party. It also supports joint coordination in reviewing the applications for projects whose environmental impact extends in the areas affiliated with OPAZ.

The programme calls for joint coordination on environmental accidents and disasters, ways to enhance pollution control programmes, study the mechanism of dealing and organising the transport of hazardous and non-hazardous waste, chemicals and radioactive materials between projects located within the special economic zones and free zones. Besides, it recommends studying the procedures for initiating electronic connection of all monitoring stations (air, water, soil, and radiation quality monitoring stations) located within the boundaries of OPAZ.