Financing

With the continually expanding scope of the work programs, it is essential that the financing not only adequately meets the needs, but is also predictable. Contributions by Contracting Parties have, unfortunately, been neither sufficient to meet the demands nor have they been predictable. Although a few Contracting Parties to the Nairobi Convention have consistently met their obligations to the trust fund, the lack of universal participation has been a continuous challenge. Because of this, the Joint Secretariat must do most of its work through partnerships.

In the last four years (2004-2007), the Nairobi Convention has been able to leverage resources from various sources, including US$3.4million from the Norwegian government and US$4.2million from the GEF. Sida has been a very consistent partner in the Western Indian Ocean region and in the last four years has supported the Convention with US$1.3million. Five governments from the eastern African region have consistently contributed to the Nairobi Convention’s Trust Fund. In this regard, the prognosis for the Nairobi Convention is good.

On the other hand, the Abidjan Convention faces a difficult but promising future. Most countries have only recently settled into a reasonably stable situation, after years of civil strife. Due to the numerous, pressing demands facing these governments, their contributions to the Trust Fund are limited and unpredictable. 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 (USD21.49 million) ; the Benguela Current project implemented by UNDP (USD15 million); and the Canary Current project implemented by FAO and UNEP (USD12 million). The challenge now is how to build synergy between the projects and the work program of the Abidjan Convention.

Introduction to the Joint Conference of Parties for the Abidjan and Nairobi Convention

1. Background to the Abidjan and Nairobi Convention
2. Political Commitment: Gathering momentum
3. Coordination and Partnerships.
4. Financing
5. Organisation of the Joint COPs.
6. Themes for the COPs.
7. Outputs and Impacts of the Joint COPs.
8. Requirements.

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