Introduction

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) identified the Eastern African region as one whose governments should be assisted in the formulation and implementation of a programme for the proper management and conservation of the marine and coastal resources.

Subsequent to the session of the Governing Council of 1980, UNEP supported the establishment of the Convention on the protection and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Eastern African Region (Nairobi Convention).

As the countries of Eastern African Region recognize the uniqueness of the coastal and marine environment, the threats and necessity for action, they met in 1985 and signed the Convention and its two protocols. They also adopted an action plan for the protection and development of the marine and coastal environment.

The Conference of parties met during the (COP4) Conference of Parties in July 2004 in Madagascar . It was during this conference that the meeting adopted the Nairobi Convention Programme 2004-2007. The adoption of that programme, resulted in the launch of the West Indian Ocean Land Based Activities (WIO-LaB) that focuses on the fight against marine pollution caused by land based activities such as municipal waste water, sewage, agricultural activities, industrial affluent etc.

South Africa is a Contracting party to the Nairobi Convention and the current vice-chair of the Nairobi Convention Programme 2004-2007. The WIO-LaB project Office was established in February 2005. UNEP is the Secretariat to both Nairobi Convention and the WIO-LaB Project Office. The Nairobi Convention Focal Points met in Tanzania on April 2005 and adopted the WIO-LaB Programme 2005-2008. The WIO-LaB Steering Committee has been formed and is comprised of the Nairobi Convention Focal Points ( Focal Points are the country representatives- in this case Shavhani Mukwevho is the Nairobi Convention Focal Point representing SA) The Minister/ Deputy Minister therefore is the Vice-Chair of the programme 2004-2007 during the Bureau sessions, hence the focus on WIO-LaB.

DOCUMENTS 1 WIOLAB programme 2 WIO-LaB Implementation Strategy