Programme Cooperation Agreement 2014: Final Report for the Period 01 January 2014 to 01 March 2015

under production, and discussions are underway with the Abidjan Convention Secretariat on how to produce SoME reports for the entire Abidjan Convention region. GRID-Arendal, in collaboration with Conservation International (CI) and Geoscience Australia, published the first digital map of global seafloor geomorphology. 29 The map was published in the scientific journal Marine Geology, and was one of the top three most downloaded articles in 2014. The spatial data for the map has been made available to support planning, research and improved environmental management. 30

of Sierra Leone with the drafting and review process of their SoME report. The results from the workshop and the graphs are available online, as well as the draft text of the report. 28 It is expected that the text will be approved by the Sierra Leone Government in early 2015. Draft reports for Cote D’Ivoire, Gabon and Congo are also

28. http://some.grida.no/sierra-leone-%28draft%29.aspx 29. http://www.bluehabitats.org

30. To date the data have been downloaded over 160 times, with indicated uses including marine spatial planning, whale and dolphin research, climate change research and teaching and learning.

SIGNIFICANT OUTCOME

MC

Recognition of a successful SoME workshop

Extract from a letter to MFA received from Mrs H Jallow , Executive Chairperson, Environment Protection Agency, Office of the President, Sierra Leone, 5 March 2014: “Between 4th and 7th February, 2014, a team comprising three Experts from GRID-Arendal … were in Freetown, Sierra Leone on a capacity building and technical assistance mission under the auspices of the UNEP/Abidjan Convention. The five-day visit was dedicated to facilitating a national workshop on the development of the state of marine environment report. The results of the workshop formed a good basis for the production of the report and the outcome of the workshop met our expectations. It is therefore our pleasure to commend GRID- Arendal and the Government of Norway for their efforts and support to Sierra Leone. We greatly appreciate this collaboration and pledge our firm commitment in strengthening the relationship for the common good of the two nations.”

SoME Workshop. Both photos: Peter Harris.

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