Day: 5 November 2017

Six 3D-printed reefs, made from natural products, dolomite sand and volcanic ash, and weighing 2,500 kg each, were submerged in the Larvotto marine protected area in Monaco on the last day of October. This is a first in the Mediterranean and in the world in terms of the size of the printed reefs.

This innovative project is led by the Boskalis Company and the ECOMERS laboratory – Nice University and CNRS, France’s National Centre for Scientific Research – with support from the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and in partnership with the Monegasque Association for Nature Protection (AMPN), which manages Monaco’s marine protected areas.

By printing artificial reefs with a 3D printer, it’s possible to mimic the complexity of the natural environment and therefore encourage the restoration of ecosystems by creating suitable habitats for fish and macro-invertebrates.

Major studies have been conducted by Boskalis in order to formulate a material that meets a number of requirements: water resistance, strength, compatibility with 3D printing technology and above all, zero adverse impact on the marine environment.

In parallel, research programmes have been set up by Professor Patrice Francour of ECOMERS to select the substrates most favourable for future colonisation by flora and fauna, and to develop a method for measuring exactly the structural complexity of the artificial reefs.

Long-term monitoring of the submerged reefs in the Larvotto marine protected area will be put in place very soon by ECOMERS and AMPN. This will make it possible to track the progressive natural colonisation of the reefs, monitoring animal, fish and invertebrate species by counts carried out by underwater diving and photography.

At the heart of the Larvotto marine protected area, which is in effect a natural laboratory for scientists, this programme will also further the development of innovative monitoring methods.

The experience gained can then be made available for use by managers of marine protected areas who wish to optimise the restoration of seabeds damaged by man’s activities.

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Monaco was represented at an important international training course on money laundering by an agent from SICCFIN – Information and Control Service for Financial Circuits – the Principality’s own financial intelligence unit.

The Strategic Analysis training course, which took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from October 23 to 27, was organised by the Egmont Group and commissioned by the Asia-Pacific Regional Group of FATF2 and funded through a voluntary contribution from Taiwan’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).

The course brought together 27 participants mainly from Asian FIUs, including: Malaysia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Macao, Mongolia, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Fiji, Vanuatu. A representative from the Isle of Man was also present.

The training focused on strategic analysis, one of the missions of the FIUs in the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism. Taking leading parts were a member of FinCen and Monaco’s Romain Bugnicourt of SICCFIN.

This is the second time the Egmont Group has used SICCFIN’s skills to lead a training course. Romain Bugnicourt had already spoken on the issues in Morocco.

The Egmont Group is an international forum, set up in 1995 at the initiative of CTIF (Belgium) and FinCen (US), which brings together, on a worldwide level, the services responsible for receiving and processing reports of suspicion of money laundering and terrorist financing. The Egmont Group has 156 country members.

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AS Monaco Vice-President Vadim Vasilyev was elected “NuCalm European Football CEO of the Year” on Thursday night in London.

The prestigious award honours the best top official of Europe’s football clubs. Vasilyev had some tough competition: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Bayern Munich), Edwin van der Sar (Ajax), Umberto Gandini (AS Rome) and Florentino Perez (Real Madrid).

On Saturday, Vasilyev’s win was echoed by the AS Monaco team, which defeated visitors Guingamp 6-0 at home. Two goals came from Adama Traoré and two from Guido Carillo, with single goals from Keita Baldé and Fabinho.

Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim was calm about the result, saying that the team doesn’t always need Falcao to win a game. “Of course, I would like it if [Falcao]were always there. But Guido scored twice and won a penalty,” he said.

Meanwhile Guingamp’s coach was less than sanguine about the rout: “We are ashamed to lose 6-0. It’s one set to love… We thought Monaco might have struggled physically after their Champions League match on Wednesday and we should have gone in with greater pace and more desire in the challenges. But the opposite happened. We can’t incriminate one or two players, it is everyone, including me. But we won’t play Monaco every weekend.”

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The Monaco Government is looking for an analysts in the IT department for a fixed duration but starting with a three-months trial period.

The Directorate of Human Resources and Training of the Public Service said that the tasks relating to the post include: monitoring the implementation of application software packages: configuration, management and maintenance; writing and implementing procedures for managing applications; and assisting the technical project manager in these different missions.

Candidates should have a diploma attesting to four years of higher education in the field of computer science or a diploma recognised as equivalent by a competent authority in the country where it was obtained. Those interested in applying should already be working in the civil service or, failing that, to have at least two years of professional experience in project management for the implementation of an application software package and in the development of Java applications with modelling of a database.

Other conditions apply, including being of good character and being fluent in French, in reading writing and speech. The deadline to apply is extended until November 24 inclusive, and in accordance with the law, priority of employment will be reserved for candidates who are Monegasque nationals.

Candidates can apply directly online.

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