Dr. Hassan Reza Safari, chairman of the board of directors of the Iranian Maritime Engineering Association, sent a letter to Dr. Ebrahim Raisi, the president, requesting the establishment of the country's Coastal Area Development Organization.
A copy of this letter was sent to the office of the Supreme Leader, Dr. Qalibaf, Chairman of the Islamic Council, Hojjat-ul-Islam Wal-Muslimin Mohseni Ajei, Head of the Judiciary, and Dr. Jabali, Head of the Judiciary. of the broadcasting organization.
The President of the Iranian Association of Marine Engineers said in this letter: As you mentioned, the exploitation of the resources of the seas and coasts, following the placement of the category of sea-based economy as the 'one of the key subjects of the country's policy seventh economic development program, as well as the notification of general sea-based development policies. It has become a new stage.
However, the issue of developing integrated policies in the area of maritime governance remains a major challenge in achieving a common vision and synergy across all influential institutions related to coasts and seas.
In this regard, the following are mentioned:
1- Investigations carried out by the Iranian Maritime Engineering Association through monitoring the developments of recent years show that the different approaches in high-level documents are the main reason for the appearance of several rifts between the main institutions and of the formation of 3 parallel centers in the field of development policies oriented towards the sea. was
Thus, the Supreme Council of Maritime Industries was established in accordance with Article 9 of the Law on the Development and Protection of Maritime Industries, in order to concentrate policy development and create the necessary coordination in order to fully utilize the capabilities of the country in the maritime and shipping industries. business sector.
On the other hand, in the Popular Development Document, the formation of a maritime council focused on the organization of the program and budget is proposed, and also, in the initial synthesis of the working group for the implementation of development global sea-oriented policies under the Office of the Honorable First Vice President, the National Headquarters for the Implementation of Development Policies The Darya axis is recommended by the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.
Such conditions led to the formation of consensus meetings to develop a comprehensive sea-oriented development plan, which was ineffective and with different approaches.
It is expected that the continuation of such a process will lead to the exhaustion of the energy created as a result of the communication of general sea-oriented development policies and will not bring favorable results.
2- As an effective solution, it is suggested to consider the results of the studies carried out within the framework of the integrated coastal zone management plan.
The issue of management of the country's coastal zones was first formally and formally raised in 2014 during a specialized international workshop in Chabahar.
The National Institute of Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences, the Environmental Protection Organization and the Port and Maritime Organization were among the institutions to which each of them paid attention to the management of coastal areas during the last years.
Last time, following the issue of integrated coastal zone management in the Port and Maritime Organization, the Committee of Legal Plenipotentiaries of Maritime Organizations started its activities and finally, the development of the integrated coastal zone management plan of the country has been entrusted to private companies. consultants under the supervision of this committee.
This project was launched in 2012 with the participation of 12 consultants with national experience and 2 internationally renowned consultants and a large number of experts from government and academic sectors and after going through three stages of studies, it was approved by the Supreme Council of Architecture and Urban Planning in 2019.
3- Currently, the integrated coastal zone management plan is in the implementation phase in the structure of the Port and Maritime Organization, which summarizes thes studies on the need to establish a single, trans-sectoral custodian institution for coastal zone management. due to multidimensional issues and conflicting interests. Different parts of the coast and sea were highlighted.
In fact, the main perspective of the country's coastal management plan was formulated on the basis of achieving the objectives in the three axes of protection, sustainability and integrated management through the creation of an independent institution in the country in order to to promote trade and coastal commerce. , transport and transit, industrial and non-industrial development, tourism, local community development, coastal security and other similar cases and observing the principles of sustainable development, coastal areas should become developed and economically active in the country.
Based on this, the headquarters of the proposed organization was proposed with four departments including senior management, coastal zone management, special support management and general support management with matrix function.
The organization and executive structure of integrated management in the coastal provinces are also linked by the decisions, criteria and executive instructions of the central headquarters in terms of decision-making and implementation.
President of the Iranian Maritime Engineering Association called for the establishment of the Coastal Zone Development Organization and the revision of integrated coastal zone management with the aim of reducing the management role and strengthening the regulatory role of the government and modify the decision. The President should consider establishing a hierarchy from “top up” to “bottom up” through the empowerment of local socio-economic institutions according to current and effective models of spatial development of coastal areas of the world.
In its thesis, the Iranian Maritime Engineering Association announced its readiness to provide the president with further explanations on the baselines and guidelines for developing a comprehensive sea-oriented development program.