A/HRC/5/9 page 13 E. Oil spill response 22. In its report published in January 2007, “Lebanon: Post-conflict environmental assessment”, UNEP provides extensive information on the damage caused by the oil spill and the responses to address it, as briefly summarized below. The bombing on 13 and 15 July 2006 of the Jiyeh power plant led to the spilling of 15,000 tons of fuel oil across 150 kilometres of the Lebanese coastline, with serious ramifications for health, biodiversity, fisheries and tourism. 23. Hostilities were ongoing during the critical early days of the oil-spill response. One of the first measures taken by the Lebanese Ministry of Environment was to prevent further spillage of oil into the sea by constructing sand barriers at the plant. A number of Governments sent equipment, personnel and financial aid within weeks of the spill. Additional support was provided by the United Nations and other international organizations, international and local NGOs and regional organizations. UNEP and OCHA, together with the Ministry of the Environment, the European Union and the World Conservation Union, established the Oil Spill Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC) within days following the cessation of hostilities, to ensure effective clean-up of the oil spill. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) hosted a meeting in Athens on 17 August, which agreed to an international assistance action plan, prepared by the Experts Working Group for Lebanon, under the supervision of the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC), in cooperation with the Lebanese Ministry of the Environment. The clean-up effort has involved experts and equipment from a number of countries and organizations under the overall coordination of OSOCC, including aid from Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Monaco, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States of America, and from UNDP and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Local NGOs and volunteers have played an important role in the cleansing of contaminated beaches. 24. As of 1 February 2007, the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) estimates that a total of 7,280 cubic metres of contaminated waste was collected, including 1,026 cubic metres of liquid oil, 238 cubic metres of semi-solid oil and 6,016 cubic metres of polluted sands, pebbles, debris, etc. It considers that the bulk of the oil has been removed along almost the whole coast, with occasional impact by new emergences of sunken oil. IMO, in collaboration with REMPEC, envisages providing support to Lebanon for the implementation of the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC) with a view to strengthening the capacity of the Government of Lebanon in preparedness and response to accidental marine pollution. F. Recovery of Lebanon and of the civilian population 25. A Protection Working Group has been set up by OHCHR and UNHCR, as co-chairs within the United Nations Country Team. The working group includes representatives from various agencies, members of civil society as well as government officials from relevant ministries. The Protection Working Group: (a) Provides a forum for information-sharing between the agencies, NGOs, the Red Cross/Crescent and the Government of Lebanon on protection issues and response;