Partners meet to discuss modalities of two new coastal, marine environment projects for the region |17 November 2017

PS de Commarmond addressing delegates at the opening of the meeting yesterday

The different actions, activities, the budget requirements, work plan and other modalities related to two new projects which are critical to the sustainable development, conservation and protection of the coastal, marine environment and resources in the Western Indian Ocean are being discussed and finalised before they become operational.

Representatives of the different countries parties to Nairobi Convention -- Comoros, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and Seychelles -- are meeting this week at the AVANI Seychelles Barbarons Resort to discuss, prioritise activities and actions and agree on how they want the two projects to move forward successfully.

Madagascar is absent from the meeting because of travel restrictions due to the plague outbreak there.

The two days of discussions was officially launched yesterday by the principal secretary for Environment Alain de Commarmond. Seychelles, in partnership with the Nairobi Convention, is hosting the meeting.

Dixon Waruinge, head of Nairobi Convention Secretariat, welcomed the delegates.

Other partner institutions namely Unep, UNDP, GEF are also taking part in the discussions.

Dr Akiko Yamamoto, the regional technical advisor for UNDP-GEF also addressed the delegates.

The two projects -- the Strategic Action Programme Policy Harmonization and Institutional Reforms (SAPPHIRE) and the Western Indian Ocean from land-based sources and activities (WIOSAP) projects will amount to US $415 million and are of a five-year duration.

Both projects are being funded under the GEF and will be executed by the Nairobi Convention secretariat.

The WIOSAP will address main threats to the coastal and marine ecosystems and critical habitat and their management. It will support countries in their effort to carry out policies, strategies. It will also address initiatives in improving water quality and waste water issues in the region’s marine and coastal areas and key river basins among others.

The SAPPHIRE project will focus on ocean governance, harmonise policies and institutional reforms with particular emphasis on the offshore waters. A strong emphasis will be given to capacity development of the region’s ocean governance.

The project will complement and coordinate closely with the WIOSAP and will harmonise activities leading to a single implementation strategy for the two programmes to improve regional governance in the marine and coastal sector.

The SAPPHIRE project will also allow for community and private sector engagement, participation and involvement in sustainable resource management.

“There is no doubt that these strategic actions can drive forward a much wider application of the Blue economy concept and its principles and also prevent climate change from undermining it thus enabling our coastal communities, economies and marine ecosystems to become more resilient and grow in a sustainable manner,” Mr de Commarmond explained.

He went on to point out that the beautiful Western Indian Ocean’s coastal and marine environments have started showing signs of degradation as a result of climate change and other human activities, threatening ecosystems and livelihoods, a point that Dr Yamamoto also highlighted.

“If this trend continues we will not be able to rely on the oceans any more,” Dr Yamamoto pointed out, noting that the oceans do not need us but we need them.  

“There is therefore an urgent call in the region to restore critical habitats such as mangroves, coral reefs and sea grass that support fisheries, tourism as well as other economic activities,” Mr de Commarmond pointed out.