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Abidjan Convention COP 8
Meeting
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Abidjan Convention Secretariat
The Convention on the Protection
and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment
of the West and Central African Region (Abidjan
Convention) came into force in 1984. Recognizing
the environmental uniqueness of the coastal and
marine environment of the region, the threats
and the necessity for action, the countries of
the region met in 1981 and signed the Convention
and its protocol. They also adopted an action
plan for the protection and development of the
marine and coastal environment of the region.
The Convention and its protocol
concerning cooperating in combating pollution
in cases of emergency entered into force in 1981
and have been ratified by 14 of the 22 countries
of the region. South Africa, which was not covered
by the Convention in 1981, asked to join the Convention
in 2000 and ratified it in 2002. Within the framework
of the follow-up of decision 20/27 of the Governing
Council of UNEP on support to Africa, one of the
initiatives taken by UNEP was to formulate a work
programme for the implementation of the Abidjan
Convention.
Due to the numerous, pressing
demands facing the Abidjan Convention's governments,
their contributions to the West and Central Trust
Fund are limited and unpredictable, amounting
to US$112,500 over the 2004-2007 period. Despite
this draw back, the Abidjan Convention region
has some of the largest and most ambitious Large
Marine Ecosystems projects, namely: the Guinea
Current project implemented by UNEP and UNDP (US$21.49
million); the Benguela Current project implemented
by UNDP (US$15 million); and the Canary Current
project implemented by FAO and UNEP (US$12 million).
The challenge now for the Joint COP is how to
create synergy between the projects and the Abidjan
Convention, and build on these achievements.
Abidjan Convention COP
8 Meeting
The Joint Secretariat of the
Nairobi and Abidjan Conventions for the Protection,
Management and Development of the Coastal and
Marine Environment of the Western and Eastern
African Regions, is pleased to announce the Joint
&Conference of Parties (COP) organized in collaboration
with the New Partnership for African Development
(NEPAD) and hosted by South Africa.
The theme of the Joint Conference
is 'Building on Success', focusing on the progress
and successes achieved by governments, key partners
and stakeholders towards the implementation of
the work programmes of the two Conventions and
the NEPAD Action Plan for the Environment.
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