The Third Consultative Meeting on the Development of an African Strategy for Ocean Governance is organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in collaboration with the African Union Commission and the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN).
During its fifteenth session in 2015, AMCEN agreed to “develop a governance strategy on oceans and seas in Africa for the effective management of the region’s shared maritime resources”. In September 2018, the seventh special session of AMCEN agreed to “urge African States to promote the growth and development of the regional ocean sector in a sustainable blue economy pathway and support the mainstreaming of aquatic biodiversity in all productive sectors with a view to sustainably harnessing the blue economy”.
In response to those decisions, UNEP, as the secretariat for AMCEN, carried out background studies and organized consultative meetings in 2018 and 2020 to support member States in the development of the strategy. During these consultative meetings, member States and stakeholders provided guidance and direction on the scope and content of the strategy. Consequently, UNEP developed a draft for the Africa Oceans Governance Strategy.
The purpose of the Third Consultative Meeting on the Development of an African Strategy for Ocean Governance is to review the draft Strategy, provide inputs and comments, build common ground on its shape and content, and provide a way forward for its finalisation before submission for endorsement by AMCEN and the African Union.
This consultative meeting is planned to be held virtually from 15 – 16 June 2021 in both English and French languages.
