Speech

EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF THE CONTRACTING PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION FOR COOPERATION IN THE PROTECTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MARINE AND COASTAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICAN REGION (ABIDJAN CONVENTION)

Programme Director
Honorable Ministers
Distinguished Delegates

It is my pleasure to once again welcome you to the cold Gauteng province of South Africa and to this extraordinary meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention for Cooperation in the Protection and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the West and Central African Region, the Abidjan Convention.

This meeting, as you all know, is a follow-up to our decision to revitalize and strengthen our commitment to the Abidjan Convention during the 8th Meeting of the Abidjan Convention held here in Johannesburg in November last year. The fact that this meeting is held back to back with AMCEN indicates commitment for African development Agenda and our collaboration with the NEPAD action plan for the environment.

Challenges
Honorable ministers, we gather here at A time when the World is facing a number of challenges. Challenges of food security particularly in Africa, rising food and fuel prices, challenges of climate change and declining natural resources.

The fourth UNEP Global Environment Outlook (GEO4) indicates that fisheries continue to decline, coastal ecosystems and marine biodiversity, which are critical in maintaining a healthy and resilient ecosystems are still under considerable threat in the face of climate change.

Call for Action
The role of conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal resources in contributing to sustainable development has been acknowledged regionally and globally. Agenda 21 outlined detailed provisions for the protection of oceans, seas, coastal areas and related resources.

The Johannesburg Plan of Implementation adopted at World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 also called for strengthening regional cooperation and coordination in ensuring sustainable development and protection of the marine and coastal environment.

The role of marine and Coastal Ecosystems

It is well known that the Abidjan Convention area covers some of the most productive coastal and marine ecosystems in the world, rich in oil, gas and mineral resources and with a great potential for tourism.
The coastal zones of the convention area are hubs for intense socio-economic activities, centres of human settlements, transport, industrial and commercial activities.

The state of these environments is affected by activities carried out on land, activities varying from industrial and agricultural production to daily domestic routines. Pollution from the industrial effluent and agricultural activities including oil spillages affect the health of these ecosystems and of the people that depend on them

More recently new threats have emerged in particular invasive alien species and climate change and with it ocean acidification.

Efforts Undertaken

While conservation efforts for the worlds marine environment have increased and expanded in recent years including efforts within the area covered by the Abidjan Convention, there is still a great deal of work that needs to be done in order to meet a variety of global targets, particularly the target of the Convention on Biological Diversity 2010 target of reducing significantly biodiversity loss, the Millennium Development Goal of eradicating poverty and promoting environmental sustainability,

During the 8th meeting of the Contracting Parties of the Convention we reiterated our commitment through a joint declaration the importance of the Convention and its action plans as instruments for sustainable development and a platform for collaboration with all partners and initiatives within the Convention Area including Large Marine Ecosystems such as Benguela, Canary and Guinea Currents Large Marine Ecosystems.

Reaffirming our Commitment
Let us use this extraordinary session to reaffirm our  commitment to the effective functioning and implementation of the Abidjan Convention.

We are all aware of challenges facing the Convention; low contributions by contracting Parties, location and strengthening of the Secretariat of the Convention, reviewing the mandate and objectives of the Convention and ratification of the Convention by all countries covered by the Convention area.

Our political commitment to the Convention is key to ensuring that institutional arrangements are strengthened including partnerships and collaboration with key stakeholders.     

More importantly the sustainability and effective implementation of the Abidjan Convention depend on our commitment as state Parties to provide sound and lasting financial support to the Convention and its Work Programme. I do hope this extraordinary session of the Abidjan Convention heralds a new chapter in the long history of the Convention.

I would like to conclude by recalling the UNEP Governing Council call, at its 22nd Session and Global Ministerial Environmental Forum in early 2003, which called for member states to develop an enhanced sense of ownership toward their respective regional seas programmes, by showing stronger political and financial commitment to their implementation.

I thank you

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