Governments negotiate a new Agreement and Strategic Action Plan for the protection of Indian Ocean

Government delegates from the countries that share the Western Indian Ocean (Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa and Somalia, as well as the island states of Seychelles, Comoros, Mauritius, Madagascar and Reunion-France) gathered in Mombasa, Kenya, from 9 to 12 June 2009, for the final technical negotiations of a new agreement for the protection of the western Indian Ocean. The delegates, officially accredited to negotiate on behalf of their Governments, agreed on the final text on a new Protocol for the protection of the coastal and marine environment from land-based sources and activities in Eastern and Southern Africa (LBSA Protocol), as a supplement to the Convention for the protection, management and development of the coastal and marine environment in Eastern and Southern Africa (also known as Nairobi Convention). The delegates also agreed on revisions to the Nairobi Convention, accompanying the new Protocol.

This new land-mark legal agreement is furthermore accompanied by a Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for addressing pollution and degradation of the Western Indian Ocean from land-based sources and activities. The SAP contains a set of activities that countries in Southern and Eastern Africa have agreed to undertake in order to reduce or control the degradation of the ecosystems of the Western Indian Ocean from the pollution and other human activities that are degrading the coastal and marine ecosystems. It therefore provides an operational plan for implementation of the LBSA Protocol.

Participating in the negotiations were also representatives of regional and international non-governmental organizations and projects, as well as of key academic and research institutions that are active in marine conservation in the region. The meeting resulted in the confirmation of a strong partnership with such organizations in the implementation of the LBSA Protocol and SAP.

The Protocol and SAP will assist governments in the Eastern and Southern Africa to come up with comprehensive measures for reducing the pollution and degradation of the Indian Ocean. It is expected this will enhance the livelihoods of the over 60 million people living in the coastal areas of the Western Indian Ocean, including the long-term sustainability of key economic sectors such as fisheries and tourism.

For more details on the Final Technical Negotiations meetings, including relevant documents, please refer to the Nairobi Convention website (www.unep.org/NairobiConvention).