ANNEX 2
Resolution No.5
ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTERNATIONAL SAR FUND
The Conference,
RECOGNIZING that maritime search and rescue services are inadequate in some areas of the world, in particular in developing countries owing to lack of sufficient funds,
NOTING WITH CONCERN that until now only 59 Governments have accepted the 1979 Maritime SAR Convention,
NOTING that steps need to be taken without delay to ensure even the minimum global coverage of communication and SAR co-ordination facilities,
BEING CONCERNED that the technical problems and inadequacies identified by the Conference may not be solved by the full implementation of the GMDSS on 1 February 1999,
1. INVITES IMO, in co-operation with the aviation and maritime communities and for the purpose of assisting countries, in particular developing countries, to fulfil their obligations under the SAR and SOLAS Conventions, to consider establishing an International SAR Fund for the purposes of:
(a) establishing and maintaining worldwide an adequate number of operational RCCs to cover the needs of international shipping;
(b) establishing and maintaining an efficient global communications network for the dissemination of distress alert data and SAR co-ordination communications;
(c) establishing and maintaining databases for the operational support of GNDSS, if this is not done on a national basis; and
(d) supporting the provision of other necessary resources for the effective implementation of the SAR Plan;
2. INVITES the Maritime Safety Committee and the Technical Co-operation Committee of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to consider taking appropriate action to facilitate the establishment of the International SAR Fund referred to above;
3. INVITES the Secretary-General of IMO to make available his good offices for the achievement of the above objectives and administration of the Fund;
4. INVITES FURTHER the Secretary-General of IMO to bring this resolution to the attention of the Secretary-General of ICAO for information and action as appropriate.
