Western Indian Ocean (WIO) Projects and Initiatives:

WIO-C: New consortium for conservation of Coastal and Marine Ecosystems in Western Indian Ocean (WIO-C):

A strong visionary Consortium was launched at UNEP in Nairobi on 1 September 2006, the “Consortium for Conservation of Coastal and Marine Ecosystems in Western Indian Ocean”, WIO-C for short.

Over the years, the governments of the Western Indian Ocean have voiced concern over the continued degradation of the marine and coastal environment; consequently, several regional organizations have developed strong coastal and marine conservation programmes in the Eastern Africa including the Island States of the West Indian Ocean (WIO).  These programmes include the, WWF coordinated Eastern African Marine Ecoregion (EAME), IUCN’s Eastern Africa Marine and Coastal Ecosystems Programme and other projects implemented by CORDIO, WIOMSA, WCS, UNEP and UNESCO. Due to the multiplicity of projects and programmes, a number of key stakeholders have come together to discuss and agree on how the initiatives can be more effective in influencing decision making and changing the face of natural resource management in Western Indian Ocean. WIO-C has been formed to rationalize these contributions and especially to develop synergistic partnerships that will advance the interests of marine research, conservation and management in the region.

The nine founding members (IUCN, WWF, WIOMSA, CORDIO, WCS, UNEP-Nairobi Convention, IOC-Indian Ocean Commission, NEPAD and IOC-UNESCO) are committed to anchor the Consortium in the Nairobi Convention for the Protection, Management and Development of the marine and coastal environment of the Western Indian Ocean Region.  The Consortium will provide a highly credible network of organizations, which will be able to provide decision support, share information and management experiences, mobilize resources and develop collaborative programmes.  In particular these activities will relate to the regional and transboundary issues.

While the nine-member leadership group will steer the Consortium, the day-to-day secretariat functions will be a revolving responsibility – initially undertaken by the WWF-EAME team in Dar Es Salaam, TANZANIA.  A more formal launch will take place during the 5^th Conference of Parties meeting for the Nairobi Convention in 2007.

[For more information contact: angusaru@wwftz.org)