Abidjan Convention Sustainable Seas Pilot Workshop

12

Oil rig in front of the Ivorian coast at Grand-Bassam. The expansion of the offshore oil and gas industry along the West- african coasts increases the risk of oil spills, with a potential threat for marine and coastal ecosystems and associated ecosystem services (e.g. coastal tourism). Photo: Wouter Rommens.

• Harmonization of the legal and institutional framework • Harmonization of the methodologies and ap- proaches on the sub-regional and regional level via the Abidjan Convention.

workshops for policy and decision makers (short term priority) and specialized conferences. • Development of national strategies for EbM (mid- term). • Development of modules on EbM in primary, sec- ondary and university curricula (long-term) • Promotion of research on EbM via scholarships • Development of pilot projects to demonstrate EbM

Activities to address these issues (and prioritization) • Organization of national EbM awareness raising

S/N

Challenges

Activities

Priority rating

1.

Lack of awareness among policy and decision makers

• Awareness raising workshop among politicians and decision makers • Awareness raising at all levels (including educa- tion, communities, stakeholders • Initiating Joint programmes among the agencies • Establishment of interministerial dialogues through interministerial Committees • Establishment of Environmental Committees • Fundraising • Awareness on budget sharing among relevant government departments for common projects and programs

Short term

Mid/long term

2.

Difficulties in interagency collaboration and coopera- tion

Short/mid term Short/mid term

Short/mid term

3.

Financial constraints

Short/long term Long term

Table 1. Summary table group 2. Activities and prioritization to address challenges.