The 32nd IOC Assembly held from 21-30 June 2023 at Headquarters Paris, was a significant event that witnessed the election of new Officers and members of the Commission. Among the key highlights was the appointment of Dr. Yutaka Michida, from the University of Tokyo, Japan, as the newly elected IOC/UNESCO Chairperson for the 2023-2025 biennium. Additionally, the Assembly also elected the five Vice-Chairpersons of the Commission, representing different electoral groups.

1. Marie-Alexandrine Sicre (France) - Electoral Group 1, Western European and North American States.
2. Nikolay Valchev (Bulgaria) - Electoral Group 2, Eastern European States.
3. Juan Camilo Forero Hauzeur (Colombia) - Electoral Group 3, Latin-American and Caribbean States.
4. Srinivasa Kumar Tummala (India) - Electoral Group 4, Asian and Pacific States.
5. Amr Zakaria Hamouda (Egypt) - Electoral Group 5, African and Arabic States.

In particular, Prof Amr Zakaria Hamouda assumes the position previously held by Prof Karim Hilmi, from the Institut National de Recherche Halieutique (INRH), Department of Oceanography in Morocco. Prof Hamouda on behalf of the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF) has played an important vital role in supporting the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System in the North-Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Connected Seas  (ICG/NEAMTWS) as well as the implementation of the CoastWAVE project in the last two years.  

  Prof Amr Zakaria Hamouda, Dr. Vladimir Ryabinin and Dr. Denis Chang Seng (Left to right) at the 32nd IOC Assembly, Paris, France.

NIOF is one of the national project partners of the IOC DG ECHO CoastWAVE project which aims to Strengthen the Resilience of Coastal Communities in the Northeast Atlantic, Mediterranean Region to the Impact of Tsunamis and Other Sea Level-Related Coastal Hazards. The Project is being implemented in Alexandria, Egypt.

Alexandria was selected to become the first UNESCO IOC Tsunami Ready city in Egypt among seven others (El Jadida, Morccoco, Chipiona (Spain), Larnaka (Cyrpus), Marsaxlook (Malta), Samos Greece), (Türkiye). This achievement is expected to be accomplished by early 2024. UNESCO IOC and NIOF co-organized a side event on “Resilient and Safer Coasts” at the kickoff African Conference on Priority Setting and Partnership Development for the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development on 11 May 2022 in Cairo, Egypt. Additionally, the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System in the North-Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Connected Seas (ICG/NEAMTWS) and NIOF are co-organizing the 18th Session of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System in the North-eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Connected Seas (ICG/NEAMTWS-XVIII) on 21-23 November at the Sheraton Montazah Hotel in Alexandria, Egypt.  Prior to 20 November 2023, a CoastWAVE project workshop will be organized, focusing on key milestones achieved and challenges.

The ICG/NEAMTWS Technical Secretary looks forward to further collaboration with Prof Hamouda and other Officers (Region I) in their new role with the Commission.  Their expertise and contributions have been invaluable in advancing the objectives of the ICG/NEAMTWS and promoting the overall goals of coastal resilience and tsunami early warning and mitigation systems.

Alexandria, Egypt.