Coastal watchdog faces funding crisis THE Abidjan Convention, a regional treaty protecting Africa’s Atlantic coast, faces a funding crisis that threatens its secretariat and ongoing environmental efforts, as well as staff members’ jobs. The director for maritime affairs in the Ministry of Works and Transport, Chris Fikunawa, says if any jobs are terminated, the objectives of the convention may not be met. He said this on Sunday in reaction to a recent concern by the Nairobi-based United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) over convention secretariat staff possibly losing their jobs. The director of Unep’s ecosystems division, Susan Gardner, warned about the lack of funds at the opening of the 14th Conference of Parties to the Abidjan Convention (COP 14) held in Nouakchott (Mauritania) towards the end of last month. Fikunawa said Namibia as party to the Abidjan Convention was represented at the conference. “But I can confirm the country has paid up its contribution to date,” he said. Gardner said unless a shortfall in contracting party contribution is addressed, the secretariat would have no choice but to terminate its staff. “I am not talking about a situation that might happen later this year. The secretariat is already out of funds. There is no money to pay staff salaries beyond the end of this month,” she said. “We have run out of time. We must now proceed with preparations for a responsible and orderly transition, noting that Unep will no longer be able to perform the functions of the secretariat,” she said. Gardner said the parties to the Abidjan Convention have, however, made progress with the signing of four protocols to the convention. Two more protocols on marine protected areas and plastic pollution are being worked on, she said. Gardner said the Abidjan Convention serves not only as a regional platform, but also as a practical tool for countries to deliver on their international commitments. “The Abidjan Convention is one link in a chain of 18 regional seas conventions and action plans. It is a cornerstone of the global efforts to tackle marine biodiversity loss and pollution,” she said. The executive secretary of the Abidjan Convention, Mamadou Kane, said the theme of the conference speaks volumes about the secretariat’s vision in its ambition to address the major current and future environmental challenges of marine and coastal areas facing the Abidjan Convention region. Kane said the secretariat is supporting parties to the Abidjan Convention in the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Framework, aiming to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity. He said the secretariat is also supporting contracting parties in the signing of a global agreement to provide an appropriate and cooperative response to the loss of biodiversity and degradation of ocean ecosystems in areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. Namibia acceded to the Abidjan Convention in September 2016, which presents a comprehensive policy and legal framework on sustainable ocean and coastal management in the Abidjan Convention region, stretching from Mauritania to South Africa. The post Coastal watchdog faces funding crisis appeared first on The Namibian.

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Mauritania to host Abidjan Convention’s 14th Conference of Parties The 14th Conference of the Parties (COP14) to the Abidjan Convention will be held in Nouakchott, Mauritania, this month. The conference will be held from 21 to 23 May under the theme ‘Towards a Resilient Atlantic Coast: Enhancing Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of our Coastal Communities’. Programme officer Vannesa Ahouadjiro says the conference is aimed at addressing the crises of biodiversity loss, pollution and climate change more effectively. “These issues are reflected in the marine and coastal domain and require parties to devote time to discuss them,” she says. Ahouadjiro says the adoption of the agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction highlights a number of legislative, administrative and policy challenges or states. Therefore, she says, implementing this treaty would require regional cooperation to be strengthened, as well as the capacity for the convention’s contracting parties to ensure access to and benefit from marine genetic resources. Namibia is a party to the Abidjan Convention, to which it acceded in September 2016. The convention presents a legal framework on coastal management. Parties to it are obligated to implement the convention at the national level. The convention calls on parties to take steps to prevent, reduce, combat and control pollution, manage natural resources, and to use the best practicable means at their disposal and in accordance with their capabilities. It also calls on parties to establish national laws and regulations for the effective discharge of the obligations prescribed in the convention. The post Mauritania to host Abidjan Convention’s 14th Conference of Parties appeared first on The Namibian.

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