Eleven
sub-Saharan countries - Côte d’Ivoire, the Gambia, Ghana,
Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Seychelles,
South Africa, and Tanzania participated in the GEF-MSP
“Development and Protection of the Marine and Coastal
Environment in sub-Saharan Africa”, which was executed by
ACOPS in partnership with UNEP, the Intergovernmental
Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and the Co-ordination
Office of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection
of the Marine Environment from Land-based Pollution (GPA).
Both UNEP and the GPA Co-ordination Office provided
financial support for enabling four new countries, in
addition to the original seven covered by the GEF-MSP, to
participate in this initiative.
The
Project culminated with the development of a Portfolio of
nineteen Framework Proposals that address a broad range of
priority issues for sub-Saharan Africa. This portfolio was
presented at the Partnership Conference which, held during
the World Summit on Sustainable Development at the level of
Heads of State, indicates the significant political
endorsement garnered by the African Process. At this event,
leaders from Africa and the external donor community
approved the Portfolio of Project Proposals and, thereby,
strengthened a Process that is delivering targeted and
effective projects that will generate enhanced
opportunities for sustainable development in Africa.
Therefore, it has rightly been billed as one of Africa’s
main contributions to the WSSD.
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