Overview

As part of a comprehensive and ambitious exercise to revitalize the Nairobi and Abidjan Conventions, one of the measures utilised by African governments was the development of a biennial work programme, the first of which was adopted at the second meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Nairobi Convention, held in Mauritius in November 1999. This was followed by the 2002–2003 and 2004–2007 work programmes. Based on these work programmes, the Nairobi Convention Secretariat, partners and individual countries successfully carried out a number of activities, largely with the support of the UNEP Environment Fund. These achievements have laid a solid foundation for continuous efforts in the same direction.

The 2004–2007 Work Programme covered two biennium, so as to be in line with other relevant ongoing programmes within UNEP and other partners. The previous work programmes focused on the following four themes: assessment; management of coastal and marine ecosystems; coordination and legal aspects; and cross-cutting issues. Each of the themes of the work programme was implemented with different results. The four themes are linked and designed to provide a cohesive and integrated holistic programme. In particular, the assessment theme is closely linked to the management theme. The activities under management, coordination and legal aspects and crosscutting issues were successfully implemented because UNEP provided the resources and there was good collaboration with other organizations and partners.

The work programme for 2008-2012 maintains this momentum by building on previous successes, and by strengthening and increasing the linkages between partners, programmes and projects. The work programme is highly collaborative in nature, reflecting the increased coordination among stakeholders working in marine and coastal issues. The Secretariat works closely with collaborating partners such as regional NGOs and various national and research institutions.

For example, in July 2006 and in partnership with WWF, IUCN and WIOMSA, the Secretariat catalysed the establishment of the “Consortium for Conservation of Coastal and Marine Ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean”. The consortium, referred to as the “WIO-C”, is a partnership between major NGOs and other organisations in the Western Indian Ocean, namely WWF, IUCN, WIOMSA, EAWLS, CORDIO, IOC, WCS and NEPAD. Anchored in the Nairobi Convention, the WIO-C aims to improve information exchange, synergy and coordination between NGOs working on coastal and marine environment issues in the Western Indian Ocean region, and to move towards a joint programmatic approach in addressing these issues. Strengthening the WIO-C and building on this partnership will be an important component of the Work Programme, as reflected by the incorporation into the Convention’s Work Programme of relevant elements of the work plans from partner NGOs.

The Work Programme will also build on the momentum generated by a number of activities implemented over the past few years, including those activities that have received support from Sida: the Protection and Management of the Coastal and Marine Environment of Eastern Africa Project; Assessment and Control of Marine pollution from land based activities in the Eastern African region; the Eastern African Coastal Resource Database and Atlas project (EAF/14). These three projects had tremendous impact on capacity building, maintaining momentum for the Nairobi Convention and initiating Integrated Areas Coastal Areas Management (ICAM) in all countries in the region.

The implementation of the mainly GEF funded WIO-LaB project “Addressing Land Based Activities in the Western Indian Ocean” (2004-2008) within the framework of the Nairobi Convention Secretariat, has provided great support for the improvement of the management of land-based activities affecting the coastal and marine environment (LBAs) in the region, and thereby also ensured the successful implementation of a large part of the Nairobi Convention work programme. Since its inception in early 2005, the project has made considerable progress in establishing regional frameworks to support LBA management, providing capacity building for government officials and initiating demonstration projects for effective LBA management in the involved countries..

Among other activities, the project is supporting the establishment of an information system and clearing house mechanism for the Nairobi Convention to facilitate effective information exchange for improved management of the coastal and marine environment. Another initiative within the project is a small grants programme directed at civil society, which will be the first step in a long term partnership between the Nairobi Convention and the GEF Small Grants Programme. The project also facilitated the drafting of a Protocol on Land-based sources and Activities which, if adopted at the COP 5, will become the 3rd instrument under the Nairobi Convention.

The present 2008–2012 Work Programme outlines how the Secretariat of the Nairobi Convention will build on the momentum that has been achieved from implementing catalytic activities funded by Sida, and from the growing awareness on coastal and marine resources being created by programmes and projects being supported or implemented by WWF, IUCN, WIOMSA and other NGOs in the region. The Work Programme focuses on the promotion, facilitation and implementation of the objectives of the Nairobi Convention in an integrated, mainstreamed and cross-sectoral manner at regional and national levels.

The structure of the Work Programme has been influenced by various factors that affect the number and the mode of implementation of activities namely funding, partnerships and capacity.

This are the documents related to the Nairobi Convention Secretariat work programme

• Work Programme and Structure for the Nairobi Convention Secretariat for 2008 - 2012.
  PDF [197kb]