RFI___72061523RFI00023 - Conserving the Western Indian Ocean.pdf

Reference: Request for Information No. 72061523RFI00023

Issuance Date: March 14, 2023

Response Due Date: April 13, 2023, at 9.00 a.m. East Africa Time

Program Title: Marine Biodiversity Conservation Activity – Western Indian

Ocean

USAID/Kenya and East Africa’s Environment Office seeks to gather information to inform an activity design in support of a potential Marine Biodiversity Conservation Activity for the

Western Indian Ocean. The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to 1) solicit feedback on the attached draft concept and 2) identify qualified organizations capable of implementing the activity. This RFI intends to offer the opportunity for interested individuals and organizations (private or non-profit) to provide comments and recommendations to help promote the recovery and resilience of marine biodiversity and coastal communities in the

Western Indian Ocean. The level of funding anticipated to be allocated for this activity is anticipated to be between $5 and $20 million over a 5-year implementation period.

This RFI is an attempt to reach out to the market in an effort to determine the scope of industry capabilities and interest and will be treated as information only. Responses

(comments, suggestions and enhancements) to this notice are not considered as applications and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding agreement. This is not a

Request for Proposals (RFP) or a Request for Applications (RFA) and therefore should not be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government or USAID to issue any solicitation or

Notice of Funding opportunity, or ultimately award a contract or assistance agreement on the basis of this RFI. Respondents should not submit any proposal/application at this time in response to this RFI.

Responses to this RFI are voluntary. Please note that responding to this RFI will not give any advantage to or preclude any organization in any subsequent competition. USAID will not pay for any costs associated with responding to this RFI and information received shall become the property of USAID, therefore, information that cannot be shared should not be sent.

Please review Attachment 1 and 2 to this RFI and submit all inquiries as well as your organization’s final responses via email to only to Petrina Williams at pwilliams@usaid.gov with a copy to Wacu Kiragu at wkiragu@usaid.gov with the subject entitled: “No.

72061523RFI00023 Marine Biodiversity Conservation Activity – Western Indian Ocean” no later than the date and time shown above. If a solicitation is subsequently issued related to this RFI, it will be announced publicly either on https://www.grants.gov/ or on https://beta.sam.gov at a later date (TBD). Responders will not receive individualized feedback. USAID responses (if any) will be posted on the above-mentioned websites. Please continue to monitor these sites for any updates to this RFI.

mailto:pwilliams@usaid.gov mailto:wkiragu@usaid.gov https://www.grants.gov/ https://beta.sam.gov/

Request for Information No. 72061523RFI00023 Marine Biodiversity Conservation Activity – Western Indian Ocean

Sincerely, Petrina Williams, Contracting/Agreement Officer

Attachment No. 1

RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS

Responses should include the following:

1. Cover page, not to exceed one (1) page, that includes:

a. Organization name and address,

b. Point of contact name and contact information,

c. Size and type of organization, including if applicable U.S. small business or other status,

d. Legal registration status and country of registration,

e. USAID prefers a consortium of partners, specifically including the private sector.

Please provide the names of your potential partner organizations.

2. Comments and questions on the draft context analysis, proposed vision and objectives, and proposed guidelines for achieving USAID’s objectives, not to exceed three (3) pages. USAID is interested in feedback on the following:

a. Please review the Western Indian Ocean Marine Biodiversity Context Analysis and Situation Model (attached and described in Section I) and comment on the proposed biodiversity and human wellbeing focal interests, threats to biodiversity, and underlying drivers of these threats. Please note if there are any major focal interests, threats, drivers, or relationships between the drivers that you recommend removing, adding, or revising.

b. Please review the inventory of ongoing regional programming in the Western

Indian Ocean (WIO) (Section I.E) and offer any corrections or additions.

c. Please review the proposed leverage points for change (Section I.D) and proposed vision and objectives for the program. Please comment on these elements by suggesting changes or affirming agreement with the proposed content.

d. Please review the proposed guidelines for achieving USAID’s objectives and comment on these elements by suggesting changes or affirming agreement with the proposed content.

e. Please identify any challenges or opportunities to the proposed program of work that may result from shifting political or development priorities you can foresee related to this proposed program.

f. Please identify any cost-related obstacles you can foresee related to this proposed program.

No other documents or information are requested at this time. USAID asks respondents to not send any additional information other than what is requested above and to adhere to the page limits mentioned.

Attachment No. 2

Draft Concept for Western Indian Ocean Marine Programming

I. Context Analysis

USAID recognizes that effective programming to conserve biodiversity and achieve development goals is tailored to the specific context of interest. USAID biodiversity programs typically use situation models to describe our understanding of important contextual factors and inform programming decisions (USAID, 2016). Here we present a draft situation model for potential marine programming in the Western Indian Ocean

(available at this link and Annex I) that describes: A) the importance of the region’s marine biodiversity and associated human well-being considerations, B) prioritized threats to marine biodiversity, C) the drivers behind priority threats to marine biodiversity, D) leverage points for change that could reduce the threats and drivers of biodiversity loss, and E) a summary of relevant, ongoing programming in the WIO region. USAID invites feedback on this draft situation model, including affirmations of important contextual elements or corrections to our understanding.

I.A. Importance of the Western Indian Ocean for Marine Biodiversity and Human

Well-being

Recent research has affirmed the importance of the Western Indian Ocean as a global hotspot for marine biodiversity (McClanahan et al, forthcoming; Kusumoto et al., 2020). The region includes high biodiversity coral reef areas, which may be particularly resilient to climate change impacts (Beyer et al., 2018); as well as highly productive pelagic and reef fishery resources; and important populations of endangered, threatened, and protected (ETP) species.

USAID has identified biodiversity focal interests for the proposed program in the situation model, which include priority habitats, species, and the processes that underpin their productivity and resilience.

Authors of a report on Reviving the Western Indian Ocean Economy (2017) begin with a social and cultural reflection: “The importance of the ocean to the people of the Western

Indian Ocean region cannot be overstated. Over a quarter of the population, some 60 million people, lives within 100km of the shoreline and cultures based on fishing, maritime trade and marine resource use go back hundreds of years.” The report goes on to estimate that the annual “gross marine product” of the WIO – equivalent to a country’s annual gross domestic product (GDP) – is at least US$20.8 billion. USAID identifies the human wellbeing goals for the proposed program under five categories in the situation model:

● Food security,

● Livelihoods and economic opportunities,

● Connections with historical traditions and spiritual wellbeing,

● Adaptive capacity, and

● Security & governance.

I.B. Threats to Marine Biodiversity https://biodiversitylinks.org/projects/completed-projects/measuring-impact/how-to-guides-for-usaid-biodiversity-programming/biodiversity-how-to-guide-1-developing-situation-models-in-usaid-biodiversity-programming https://drive.google.com/file/d/1H4659CCsckYAqryz9tuO1jF2BC-BfKpU/view?usp=share_link https://esj-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1440-1703.12096 https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/conl.12587 https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/13692WWF2.pdf https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/13692WWF2.pdf

Our analysis found that climate change and unsustainable fisheries pose the highest threats to marine biodiversity in the WIO. Threats from unsustainable fisheries included pervasive illegal fishing by small-scale fishers (rated as a very high threat to biodiversity); illegal and/or unsustainable fishing by foreign-owned fleets (rated high); legal, but unsustainable fishing by small-scale fishers (rated high); and the use of destructive fishing practices (rated high).

Poaching or harvesting activities that constitute crimes against marine wildlife, such as shark finning, etc. were ranked as a medium threat to marine biodiversity. Land-based activities, including poor land use practices or land conversion for production or coastal development, were rated as low to medium threats to marine biodiversity that are growing over time; these ratings were based on observations that currently land-based threats tend to create impacts that are serious in nature, but localized in space.

I.C. Drivers Behind the Threats to Marine Biodiversity

At the broadest scale, our analysis found that the incomplete and ineffective devolution of authorities for the management of coastal-marine resources is driving threats to marine biodiversity in the WIO region. The current status of devolution means that resource management rules related to coastal fisheries and coastal development are often perceived as illegitimate and are ineffective. This situation leads to low compliance with those laws that do exist and increased competition for a reduced resource base, leading to a spiral of decline.

Laws for devolved or decentralized resource management are in place for all WIO countries, however, the institutional structures and investments needed to operationalize effective devolution are incomplete for a number of reasons. In many cases formal devolution is challenged by a history of top-down resource management, often with strong patronage elements, that influences decision-making in practice. Simultaneously, efforts to advance advocacy and accountability for effective marine management and conservation are significantly more limited than similar efforts focused on terrestrial conservation. While strong CSO and research organizations working on marine issues have had success in providing technical guidance, a coordinated advocacy effort that can achieve the needed changes at a regional scale remains absent. As a result, governments often perceive fisheries and coastal management as lower priorities; combined with the broad perception that devolution requires less government investment, current arrangements for conservation, management, and enforcement suffer from inadequate budgets, capacity, and accountability mechanisms for supporting communities in effectively managing their resources. And while communities likely have the most to gain or lose from effective resource management, local-level dynamics can also complicate efforts to improve the sustainability and profitability of fisheries and other coastal resources (see details in the situation model).

These weak governance arrangements result in a number of specific issues noted in the situation model (see diagram for further details):

● marine protected areas aren’t designed and implemented to optimize ecological recovery and productivity at national or regional scales,

● distant water fishing fleets are increasingly competing with small-scale fishers in the

WIO, as well as harvesting endangered, threatened, and protected species,

● coastal zone management plans and environmental impact assessments are rarely developed, implemented, and enforced; and

● energized dialogues around the Blue Economy are often focused on big industry, such as oil and gas, offshore fisheries, or shipping, with few benefits accruing to small-scale fishers.

Finally, the situation model identifies that these threats and drivers are unfolding against the backdrop of increasing dependence on fisheries for protein and income as populations grow and migrate in response to climate change impacts, limited family planning, and low availability of other suitable livelihood and protein options.

I.D. Leverage Points for Change

USAID colleagues reflected on the draft situation model to identify leverage points for change that could reduce the threats and drivers of marine biodiversity loss in the WIO.

Leverage points are drivers within the situation model that meet two criteria:

● Criteria 1: They could be changed through funded programs or interventions; and,

● Criteria 2: If they were changed, it would make a meaningful contribution to reducing priority threats to biodiversity and associated improvements to human well-being.

These discussions prioritized three leverage points within the situation model, which form the basis for the proposed vision and objectives presented in Section 4:

● Leverage Point 1: MPAs aren’t designed to optimize ecological recovery and productivity,

● Leverage Point 2: There is movement toward integrated systems of governance that devolve authority and empower resource users, however, it is only partially implemented, and,

● Leverage Point 3: Distant Water Fishing Fleets compete with small-scale fishers and illegally harvest endangered, threatened, and protected species.

I.E Ongoing Programming in the WIO

As a critical part of the context analyses, USAID also compiled an inventory of ongoing, regional-scale initiatives relevant to coastal-marine conservation and management in the

WIO, available at this link and Annex II. USAID considered current policy commitments and ongoing programs in proposing the vision and objectives described in Section II. USAID aims to support existing, successful local institutions (see Guiding Principle B in Section III), and to effectively collaborate, coordinate, and leverage complementary programs.

II. Proposed Vision & Objectives for USAID Programming

Based on this analysis, USAID has drafted the outcomes it would like to achieve through potential future investments in the Western Indian Ocean. This section describes these outcomes as a vision and three objectives. The following section identifies guiding principles for approaches that could be used to achieve these outcomes.

Vision: USAID investments in the Western Indian Ocean aim to promote the recovery and resilience of marine biodiversity and coastal communities to advance achievement of a sustainable Blue Economy and the global goal to protect 30% of marine areas by

2030.

Objective 1: Realize an inclusive vision for achieving an ecologically connected MPA network to maximize ecological productivity, recovery, and resilience.

Recognizing ecological and institutional connections between WIO countries, this work will facilitate a shared vision of which geographic areas in the region warrant priority attention for protection in order to maximize ecological productivity and recovery. It will build on ongoing work by UNEP and WIOMSA to identify connectivity patterns and habitats by supporting scientific and advocacy efforts that enable policy and management actions which https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_Ypv3FBpmdC_8vhPKlTK8hqtZ8Ihpuwy/view?usp=share_link result in an ecologically connected, socially supported network of marine protected areas that optimizes the recovery and resilience of coastal resources and communities at a regional scale. This work will support the WIO region in reaching the new Global Biodiversity

Framework goal of protecting 30% of marine areas by 2030.

Objective 2: Accelerate effective devolved co-management to implement the MPA network and strengthen fisheries management.

All WIO countries have initiated devolved institutional arrangements for the management of coastal resources and there are good practice examples of this approach within the region.

This objective aims to accelerate effective co-management of climate-resilient, small-scale fisheries and marine protected areas in WIO countries by working regionally. Through enhanced regional coordination, collaboration, and exchange, this objective aims to strengthen policies, political will, financing, learning, and management capacities at multiple levels to support the WIO region and countries in developing the institutional arrangements needed for effective implementation of devolved co-management.

2A. Extension services for community-based co-management: Community and locally-led co-management requires on-going support from civil society groups, academia, private sector or government. Effective support builds trusted, inclusive relationships that assist communities in establishing, enforcing, and reflecting on management systems.

2B. Sustainable finance: Effective devolved co-management provides funding for effective ongoing implementation at community and local levels. Funding can come from government budget allocations, private sector partnerships, or other innovative arrangements.

Community and local managers require the ability to receive, spend, and account for these funds.

2C. Enforcement: Effective devolved co-management complements community-enforcement with responsive enforcement by government authorities when appropriate. Both approaches require adequate financing and capacity and benefit from the skillful use of technology.

2D. Monitoring of management effectiveness: Effective devolved co-management requires ongoing monitoring information to inform decision-making and provide incentives for continued efforts. Monitoring should provide feedback on the condition and trends of resources that are important for different stakeholders (e.g. women, youth, men) and management goals.

2E. Recognized tenure: Devolved co-management depends on clear, legal recognition of community rights for management and resource use. Where tenure for marine resources is ambiguous, actions to clarify these rights and responsibilities are required.

2F. Supplemental livelihoods: In many areas of the WIO, communities require supplemental livelihoods to support their ability to comply with no-take areas or other fishery management measures. Developing supplemental livelihood opportunities that promote conservation-oriented behavior change is often challenged by limited capacities, finance, infrastructure. Successful initiatives address these challenges and take a bottom-up approach to supporting local aspirations and entrepreneurship. Efforts should focus equally on women, youth, and men to promote inclusive support for co-management efforts.

2G. Enhance leadership at multiple levels, including women & youth: Meta-analysis and sharing of effective management of coastal fisheries consistently identifies good leadership as an essential condition. Co-management efforts that benefit from leadership by both women and men have been demonstrated to be more effective as a result of the comparative strengths they bring to decision-making and conflict resolution. Efforts to foster leadership capacities and gender equality in leadership are needed to fully implement co-management.

Objective 3: Reduce threats to small-scale fishers and high biodiversity coastal resources posed by industrial fishing fleets, particularly distant water fleets and international crime networks.

Illegal and unsustainable practices by commercial fleets are undermining devolved fisheries management in some areas of the WIO region. In many cases, these fleets are foreign-owned and coastal states and residents are not accruing appropriate benefits from their activities.

This objective aims to address the threat commercial fleets, particularly distant water fishing fleets, pose to small scale fishers and high biodiversity coastal resources. Through increased regional leadership and coordination, it will:

3A. Strengthen intergovernmental coordination that increases the effectiveness of licensing arrangements: Current licensing practices are leading to foreign nations fostering deleterious competition between WIO countries when negotiating fishing license terms, depressing the value coastal states receive from fish caught within their waters. For example, WIO countries, which typically negotiate licenses individually, receive an average of 2-3% of catch value through their licenses; this value compares unfavorably to Pacific Island nations, which negotiate as a block and typically receive 20% of catch value. To help address this situation, the Southwest Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC) recently adopted voluntary guidelines for minimum terms and conditions for foreign fisheries access in the

(SWIOFC) region. This objective should leverage political and technical developments to strengthen the institutional arrangements and capacities for WIO countries to harmonize licensing of foreign fishing access agreements to improve ecological and socio-economic outcomes for WIO stakeholders.

3B. Improve monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS): In addition to coercive licensing, commercial and distant water fishing vessels also exploit WIO fishery resources by fishing without licenses or fishing in violation of license conditions. Past initiatives have made important gains in strengthening MCS within the region; these need to be further strengthened and expanded. Strengthened enforcement is also needed to counter human rights abuses perpetrated upon crew working on vessels in the region.

https://www.fao.org/3/ca9747b/ca9747b.pdf https://www.fao.org/3/ca9747b/ca9747b.pdf

3C. Increase transparency, accountability, and awareness: Achieving objectives 3A and

B will require improved transparency, accountability, and awareness related to DWF activities in the WIO. For example, some owners are flagging their vessels to coastal stages while retaining beneficial ownership in distant countries. This objective will advance the mechanisms needed to deliver improved support and oversight for DWF licensing and MCS in the region.III. Proposed Guidelines for Achieving USAID’s Objectives

USAID recognizes that many approaches could be taken to achieve the Agency’s proposed vision and objectives for the Western Indian Ocean. The guidelines presented here reflect

Agency priorities and the regional nature of the proposed programming. When developing theories of change and strategic approaches to achieve the vision and objectives identified in

Section 4, offerors should aim to advance these principles.

III.A. Accelerating action through regional collaboration, coordination, and exchange:

USAID is currently supporting programs that help improve fisheries and marine conservation in Mozambique, Tanzania, Madagascar, and Somalia. The proposed program aims to complement those country-level efforts by engaging regionally, based on the theory of change that regional collaboration, coordination, and exchange can serve to accelerate and strengthen national efforts that strengthen devolved co-management, effective marine protected areas, and stronger management of industrial and distant water fishing fleets.

III.B. Localization that advances Africa-centric solutions building on existing, successful institutions:

Global development and conservation challenges all have unique consequences, power dynamics, impacts, complexities, and potential solutions for the communities engaged with USAID programs. This means that equitable, inclusive, and sustainable responses to these challenges must be built upon the priorities, knowledge, lived experiences, aspirations, and expertise of the people and the communities who live them every day. To meet the challenges, USAID is renewing its commitment to localization and shifting more leadership, ownership, decision making, and implementation to the local people and institutions who possess the capability, connectedness, and credibility to drive change in their own countries and communities. Locally led development supports local institutions, nurtures sustainability, and prioritizes the perspectives and preferences of those

USAID hopes to serve—recipient governments, civil society organizations, and host country professionals.

III.C. Inclusive, multi-stakeholder engagement: Programs that effectively engage and empower a diverse range of stakeholders are often more effective in developing the support, accountability, talent, and coalitions needed to affect real change. Proposals should consider how activities can engage government, civil society, industry groups, researchers, and community groups to develop the broad momentum needed to achieve the objectives described in Section 4. In particular, USAID works to improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the distinct and intersectional needs of women and girls, men and boys, in all their diversity, in our development and humanitarian work, as well as the norms and systems that hinder optimal outcomes. Programs will be required to complete a thoughtful gender analysis and to incorporate gender considerations throughout design and implementation.

III.D. Climate-sensitive: Addressing the climate crisis requires a holistic approach to development. Through its climate strategy, USAID aims to support the resilience of people and ecosystems to climate change, while advancing mitigation efforts and leveraging climate finance. Proposals should include specific consideration of climate change impacts and ways that proposed actions can support increased resilience, particularly for marginalized and underrepresented populations.

III.E. Compliant with USAID’s Biodiversity Code: It is likely that partial funding for the proposed program will be earmarked for Biodiversity Conservation; therefore proposals should plan to comply with the four requirements of USAID’s Biodiversity Code.

https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/2022-11/USAID-Climate-Strategy-2022-2030.pdf https://biodiversitylinks.org/library/resources/usaid-biodiversity-policy

Annex I

THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

Annex II

DRAFT - Summary of WIO Regional Initiatives Related to Marine Biodiversity Conservation &

Management

Name Implementer Funder Focus

Timefra me

Overarching

Supporting

Policy &

Secretariat

Nairobi Convention and Secretariat

Administered by UNEP, the Nairobi Convention—signed by

Comoros, France, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania and the Republic of South Africa — provides a platform for governments, civil society, and the private sector to work together for the sustainable management and use of the marine and coastal environment. The Nairobi Convention is a

Regional Seas program mandated to:

1. to provide a regional framework for member states to develop, plan, coordinate and cooperate in the protection and sustainable use of the coastal and marine environment; and

2. to provide a platform for relevant knowledge generation and sharing and capacity development at the national, regional and

African levels, as well as with global partners.

It is the only regional institution mandated to address the environmental governance of land and sea sources of pollution, integrated coastal zone management, conservation of habitats, including through protected areas, and transboundary pollution emergency management. The more recent COP decisions reflect the need to extend the NC activities from the predominantly technical towards greater engagement with political processes. This is based on the perception that despite a shared vision of healthy oceans, the technical recommendations are constrained by political will and competing priorities. A greater engagement at political levels may also reflect the increasing threats to the marine and coastal environment and continued decline in ocean health, despite the considerable advances made by the NC.

Supporting

Policy AU Agenda 2063

The African Union (AU) plays a key role in defining the African and regional approach to ocean governance. The AU Agenda 2063 makes numerous references to oceans, particularly in relation to the blue economy, including sustainable use of natural resources, offshore energy, ports and shipping. These references include, in particular, Aspiration 1 on a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development, and Goal 6, which envisages a blue/ocean economy as a major contributor to continental growth and transformation. However, none of the Agenda 2063 flagship projects directly address ocean issues. Agenda 2063 emphasizes the need for regional cooperation at all levels, adherence to international norms, knowledge management and capacity building. Agenda 2063 specifically identifies the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) as the fulcrum for cooperation, policy coherence and strategic alignment among their members. The role of the AU is seen as providing the overarching vision and policy guidance at the African level, and where possible articulating an African position at the global level. This key role of the RECs is evident in the 2050 Africa

Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS), adopted by the AU in 2014.

The vision or objective of the AIMS is: “to foster increased wealth creation from Africa’s oceans and seas by developing a sustainable, thriving blue economy in a secure and environmentally sustainable manner”.

Recent

Assessment

The State of Ocean

Governance in the

WIO

This background document has two objectives:

1. to review the status and trends in ocean governance in the Western

Indian Ocean (WIO) and identify key gaps, challenges and opportunities in relation to global norms and best practices; and

2. to provide background information to inform a dialogue on an ocean governance strategy at a regional ocean governance workshop organized by the Nairobi Convention and supported by the

SAPPHIRE project.

Marine Protected Areas

Supporting

Policies

Convention on

Biodiversity 30 by

30 target

UN

Convened under UN auspices, the 15th

Conference of Parties to the UN

Convention on Biological Diversity adopted the “Kunming-Montreal Global

Biodiversity Framework” (GBF), including four goals and 23 targets for achievement by 2030. Among these, nations committed to protect 30% of

Earth’s lands, oceans, coastal areas, inland waters by 2030, with emphasis on areas of particular importance for https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/the-western-indian-ocean-large-marine-ecosystems-strategic-action-programme-policy-harmonisation-and-institutional-reforms-wio-lme-sapphire/sapphire-project-documents/the-state-of-ocean-governance-in-the-western-indian-ocean/ https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/the-western-indian-ocean-large-marine-ecosystems-strategic-action-programme-policy-harmonisation-and-institutional-reforms-wio-lme-sapphire/sapphire-project-documents/the-state-of-ocean-governance-in-the-western-indian-ocean/ https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/the-western-indian-ocean-large-marine-ecosystems-strategic-action-programme-policy-harmonisation-and-institutional-reforms-wio-lme-sapphire/sapphire-project-documents/the-state-of-ocean-governance-in-the-western-indian-ocean/ https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2022/12/press-release-nations-adopt-four-goals-23-targets-for-2030-in-landmark-un-biodiversity-agreement/ https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2022/12/press-release-nations-adopt-four-goals-23-targets-for-2030-in-landmark-un-biodiversity-agreement/ https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2022/12/press-release-nations-adopt-four-goals-23-targets-for-2030-in-landmark-un-biodiversity-agreement/ biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and services. The GBF prioritizes ecologically-representative, well-connected and equitably-governed systems of protected areas and other effective area- based conservation, recognizing indigenous and traditional territories and practices. Currently 17% and 10% of the world’s terrestrial and marine areas respectively are under protection.

Supporting

Policies

Great Blue Wall

Initiative

IUCN

Ten countries in the western Indian

Ocean are banding together to create a network of marine conservation areas under the banner of the Great Blue Wall.

Additional summary here.

Recent

Assessment

WIO MPA Outlook

Report

The Western Indian Ocean region has declared 143* marine and coastal areas as protected – an area covering 553,163 square kilometers, representing 7 percent of the total Exclusive Economic

Zone (EEZ) for the region – according to the WIO MPA outlook publication released by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)-

Nairobi Convention and the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science

Association. The MPA Outlook documents progress made by countries in the region towards the achievement of Sustainable

Development Goal 14.5 and provides lessons and opportunities to increase momentum for achieving post-2020 Global Biodiversity

Framework targets.

The Marine Protected Areas Outlook, indicates that almost half of the total area – an estimated 63 percent of the overall square kilometers – was brought under protection in the seven years since the 2015 adoption of Sustainable Development Goal 14.5, which committed countries to conserving at least 10 percent of their marine and coastal areas by 2020.

Recent

Assessment

Critical habitats of the WIO

A report on the outlook of critical habitats in the authored by scientists in the WIO includes chapters on coral reefs, seagrasses, mangroves, sandy and rocky shores, estuaries, salt marshes, offshore pelagic, shelf and deep sea and threatens species and marine birds. The report also has chapters of the current level of protection, scenarios for increased protection and options for priority areas across the region. This report links up with the WIO-MPA forthcomi ng https://www.iucn.org/news/eastern-and-southern-africa/202110/great-blue-wall-initiative-accelerate-blue-economy-region https://www.iucn.org/news/eastern-and-southern-africa/202110/great-blue-wall-initiative-accelerate-blue-economy-region https://www.brookings.edu/blog/africa-in-focus/2022/06/23/the-great-blue-wall-initiative-at-the-nexus-of-climate-change-nature-conservation-and-the-blue-economy/ https://www.brookings.edu/blog/africa-in-focus/2022/06/23/the-great-blue-wall-initiative-at-the-nexus-of-climate-change-nature-conservation-and-the-blue-economy/ https://www.brookings.edu/blog/africa-in-focus/2022/06/23/the-great-blue-wall-initiative-at-the-nexus-of-climate-change-nature-conservation-and-the-blue-economy/ https://www.wiomsa.org/publications/western-indian-ocean-wio-marine-protected-areas-outlook/#:~:text=The%20Western%20Indian%20Ocean%20region,Environment%20Programme%20(UNEP)%2DNairobi https://www.wiomsa.org/publications/western-indian-ocean-wio-marine-protected-areas-outlook/#:~:text=The%20Western%20Indian%20Ocean%20region,Environment%20Programme%20(UNEP)%2DNairobi

Programming

WIO Marine

Protected Area

Network

WIOMSA SIDA

WIOMPAN has a clear vision:

To shape the future of MPA &

OECM practitioners in the

WIO by providing opportunities for development, fostering valuable connections, and facilitating members success through learning, mentorship & career growth.

Programming Blue Action Fund

Blue Action

Fund is a non-profit foundation established under German law

Multiple

European aid agencies and the

Green

Action

Fund

We provide grants to selected conservation projects that seek to establish, enlarge, or better manage marine protected areas and promote sustainable livelihoods in coastal communities.

Blue Economy & Marine Spatial Planning

Supporting

Policies

Nairobi Convention

Decision

The Nairobi Convention calls for the development of a regional MSP strategy to better cooperate on governing Areas Beyond National

Jurisdiction (ABNJ) and coordinating blue economy pathways in the

WIO (decision CP8/10). The Nairobi Convention further urges contracting parties to develop and implement ecosystem-based management approaches in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs).

The Western Indian Ocean Marine Spatial Planning Strategy is thus founded on an ecosystem-based approach, which can be traced back to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the twelve Malawi

Principles.

Recent

Assessment

A regional marine spatial planning strategy for the WIO

In response to regional challenges to the management of human activities and marine resources in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), as well as the fast tracking of marine spatial planning (MSP) and blue economy initiatives globally, parties to the Nairobi Convention requested in March 2019 that a regional MSP strategy be developed for the WIO. This request was also in line with major outcomes of the Strategic Action Programme Policy Harmonization and

Institutional Reforms (SAPPHIRE) and Western Indian Ocean

Strategic Action Programme (WIO-SAP) Projects and recognizes that a regional MSP strategy is vital to harmonize the different marine and coastal management and spatial planning initiatives in the countries of the WIO region. During 2020-2021, this regional

MSP strategy was developed with input from the MSP Technical

Working Group (TWG) and wider stakeholders (invited through a https://wiomsa.org/wiompanmembers/members-details/ https://wiomsa.org/wiompanmembers/members-details/ https://wiomsa.org/wiompanmembers/members-details/ https://www.blueactionfund.org/ https://nairobiconvention.org/clearinghouse/sites/default/files/WIO%20MSP%20Strategy_8Oct2021_0.pdf https://nairobiconvention.org/clearinghouse/sites/default/files/WIO%20MSP%20Strategy_8Oct2021_0.pdf https://nairobiconvention.org/clearinghouse/sites/default/files/WIO%20MSP%20Strategy_8Oct2021_0.pdf public participation process). In keeping with global best-practice, the strategy adopts an ecosystem-based approach to MSP, and based on eight guiding principles, defines a vision, a goal and 11 objectives. Nine strategic priorities are identified, to be addressed with a systems thinking approach. This approach is currently novel in MSP strategies and holds promise for regional decision-making for healthy oceans and people. Ten enabling mechanisms for implementation are provided. A structural summary of the strategy is provided in the diagram below.

Recent

Assessment

WIO Situation

Assessment on

Marine Pollution and

Coastal & Marine

Water Quality

Management

This Situation Assessment provides a brief overview of the current situation in terms of coastal and marine water quality in countries of the WIO region, to set the scene for the development of a Strategic

Framework for Coastal and Marine Water Quality Management

(C&MWQM) and the revision of Guidelines for the Development of

Environmental Quality Objectives and Targets (UNEP et al.

2009a). Information for this situation assessment was sourced through readily accessible information (published and grey literature) as well as inputs from country representatives

Recent

Assessment

AFRICA’S BLUE

ECONOMY:

Opportunities and challenges to bolster sustainable development and socioeconomic transformation

The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) prepared this paper on the opportunities and challenges for the development of the Blue

Economy in Africa. It is hoped that the paper will contribute to and inform commitments to be made by various countries and stakeholders in making use of the opportunities in the Blue

Economy. It is also expected that world leaders will take advantage of this opportunity to refresh the sustainability debate and adopt concrete and meaningful actions for the sustainable development of the Blue Economy. Agenda 2063 of the African Union declares the

Blue Economy to be “Africa’s future” and recognizes the key role that the ocean plays as a catalyst for socioeconomic transformation.

The paper examines the opportunities and challenges to developing the Blue Economy in Africa. It provides recommendations on how to transform these challenges into opportunities for growth, sustainable development and socioeconomic transformation.

Programming Our Blue Future

Interim

Steering

Committee

GIZ

OBF is a multi-stakeholder initiative for an inclusive and sustainable blue economy in the WIO region. We are a public – private – civil society alliance that fosters a diverse network of impact-oriented partnerships, projects and https://nairobiconvention.org/clearinghouse/sites/default/files/WIO%20Marine%20WQ_Situation%20Assessment_Final%20submitted%20by%20CSIR_24Aug2021.pdf https://nairobiconvention.org/clearinghouse/sites/default/files/WIO%20Marine%20WQ_Situation%20Assessment_Final%20submitted%20by%20CSIR_24Aug2021.pdf https://nairobiconvention.org/clearinghouse/sites/default/files/WIO%20Marine%20WQ_Situation%20Assessment_Final%20submitted%20by%20CSIR_24Aug2021.pdf https://nairobiconvention.org/clearinghouse/sites/default/files/WIO%20Marine%20WQ_Situation%20Assessment_Final%20submitted%20by%20CSIR_24Aug2021.pdf https://nairobiconvention.org/clearinghouse/sites/default/files/WIO%20Marine%20WQ_Situation%20Assessment_Final%20submitted%20by%20CSIR_24Aug2021.pdf https://nairobiconvention.org/clearinghouse/sites/default/files/WIO%20Marine%20WQ_Situation%20Assessment_Final%20submitted%20by%20CSIR_24Aug2021.pdf https://nairobiconvention.org/clearinghouse/node/308 https://nairobiconvention.org/clearinghouse/node/308 https://nairobiconvention.org/clearinghouse/node/308 https://nairobiconvention.org/clearinghouse/node/308 https://nairobiconvention.org/clearinghouse/node/308 https://nairobiconvention.org/clearinghouse/node/308 https://nairobiconvention.org/clearinghouse/node/308 https://nairobiconvention.org/clearinghouse/node/308 https://our-blue-future.org/ champions. Building on existing initiatives, we empower people and lever resources to promote good governance, innovation and stewardship, catalysing sustainable livelihoods, enterprises and ecosystems.

Programming

Western Indian

Ocean Large Marine

Ecosystems Strategic

Action Programme

Policy

Harmonization and

Institutional Reforms

(SAPPHIRE)

implemented by UNDP and executed by

UNEP-Nairobi

Convention

GEF

The NC’s SAPPHIRE project, funded by the Global

Environment Facility, promotes policy and institutional reform to help improve the management of the Western Indian Ocean

LME. It will build capacity among governments, communities, partners, intergovernmental organizations and the private sector in sustainable resource management and ocean governance.

2017 –

Programming

Dialogue between science and decision-makers for an integrated management of marine and coastal environments

Institut de

Recherche pour le

Développement

(the French

National

Research

Institute for

Sustainable

Development)

Multiple

The design of the DiDEM program is based on the following observation: while science continues to acquire new knowledge about natural environments, sometimes making alarming findings about their degradation under the effect of anthropogenic activities, decision-makers and civil society rarely take this findings into deep consideration with regard to the issues at stake.

Strengthening the impact of scientific production on decision-makers, particularly in developing countries, is a priority for the international community.

2021-https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/the-western-indian-ocean-large-marine-ecosystems-strategic-action-programme-policy-harmonisation-and-institutional-reforms-wio-lme-sapphire/ https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/the-western-indian-ocean-large-marine-ecosystems-strategic-action-programme-policy-harmonisation-and-institutional-reforms-wio-lme-sapphire/ https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/the-western-indian-ocean-large-marine-ecosystems-strategic-action-programme-policy-harmonisation-and-institutional-reforms-wio-lme-sapphire/ https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/the-western-indian-ocean-large-marine-ecosystems-strategic-action-programme-policy-harmonisation-and-institutional-reforms-wio-lme-sapphire/ https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/the-western-indian-ocean-large-marine-ecosystems-strategic-action-programme-policy-harmonisation-and-institutional-reforms-wio-lme-sapphire/ https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/the-western-indian-ocean-large-marine-ecosystems-strategic-action-programme-policy-harmonisation-and-institutional-reforms-wio-lme-sapphire/ https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/the-western-indian-ocean-large-marine-ecosystems-strategic-action-programme-policy-harmonisation-and-institutional-reforms-wio-lme-sapphire/ https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/the-western-indian-ocean-large-marine-ecosystems-strategic-action-programme-policy-harmonisation-and-institutional-reforms-wio-lme-sapphire/ https://en.ird.fr/project-didem-dialogue-between-science-and-decision-makers-integrated-management-marine-and-coastal https://en.ird.fr/project-didem-dialogue-between-science-and-decision-makers-integrated-management-marine-and-coastal https://en.ird.fr/project-didem-dialogue-between-science-and-decision-makers-integrated-management-marine-and-coastal https://en.ird.fr/project-didem-dialogue-between-science-and-decision-makers-integrated-management-marine-and-coastal https://en.ird.fr/project-didem-dialogue-between-science-and-decision-makers-integrated-management-marine-and-coastal https://en.ird.fr/project-didem-dialogue-between-science-and-decision-makers-integrated-management-marine-and-coastal https://en.ird.fr/project-didem-dialogue-between-science-and-decision-makers-integrated-management-marine-and-coastal

Programming WIO Symphony SIDA

The WIO Symphony web tool supports your marine spatial planning by assessing environmental impact from human activities. WIO

Symphony lets you visualize data, test scenarios, and compare different ways of using the ocean.

Strategic Action

Programme for the protection of the

Western Indian

Ocean from land-based sources and activities’ (WIO-

SAP)

GEF

WIOSAP strives to reduce these land-based stresses by protecting critical habitats, improving water quality, and managing river flows.

2016 –

Fisheries

Supporting

Bodies

Regional Fisheries

Bodies

1. The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, which has a mandate to manage the tuna stocks (specified highly migratory species (HMS)) of the entire Indian Ocean

2. The Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA), tasked with managing fisheries outside the

EEZs (excluding tunas and other HMS falling under the IOTC mandate), and

3. The South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC), which does not have a management role but provides a means of coordinating the fisheries policies and activities of the region’s coastal states. [29] Its Scientific Committee regularly assesses the status of fishery resources to provide advice to Member Countries on management measures.

http://www.nairobiconvention.org/wio-symphony/ https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/implementation-of-the-strategic-action-programme-for-the-protection-of-the-western-indian-ocean-from-land-based-sources-and-activities-wiosap/about-wiosap/ https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/implementation-of-the-strategic-action-programme-for-the-protection-of-the-western-indian-ocean-from-land-based-sources-and-activities-wiosap/about-wiosap/ https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/implementation-of-the-strategic-action-programme-for-the-protection-of-the-western-indian-ocean-from-land-based-sources-and-activities-wiosap/about-wiosap/ https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/implementation-of-the-strategic-action-programme-for-the-protection-of-the-western-indian-ocean-from-land-based-sources-and-activities-wiosap/about-wiosap/ https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/implementation-of-the-strategic-action-programme-for-the-protection-of-the-western-indian-ocean-from-land-based-sources-and-activities-wiosap/about-wiosap/ https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/implementation-of-the-strategic-action-programme-for-the-protection-of-the-western-indian-ocean-from-land-based-sources-and-activities-wiosap/about-wiosap/ https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/implementation-of-the-strategic-action-programme-for-the-protection-of-the-western-indian-ocean-from-land-based-sources-and-activities-wiosap/about-wiosap/ https://www.nairobiconvention.org/nairobi-convention-projects/implementation-of-the-strategic-action-programme-for-the-protection-of-the-western-indian-ocean-from-land-based-sources-and-activities-wiosap/about-wiosap/

Recent

Assessment

The Future of

Marine Fisheries in the African Blue

Economy

Marine fisheries are a crucial sector in the blue economy, both in terms of employment and contribution to national economies and food security. The study carried out by the African Natural

Resources Centre analyses the challenges that this sector will have to face by 2050 in meeting the demand of a growing population while facing the impacts of climate change. It identifies ways to ensure the sustainability of marine fisheries within the framework of a blue economy that emphasizes the services provided by healthy ecosystems.

The marine capture fisheries production of Africa currently stands at

7 million tonnes. It has increased in recent years thanks to the strong resurgence of West African small pelagic catches and a return to normality in the Indian Ocean following the end of Somalian piracy.

The marine fish supply is increasing but the current positive growth is at a rate that cannot match the increasing population’s per capita consumption demands.