Abidjan Convention Regional Expert Group To Meet On Sargassum Seaweed Threat

Since June 2011, coastlines spanning from Morocco (South of Casablanca) to the Gulf of Guinea have experienced annual recurring influx of brownish seaweed (technically referred to as pelagic Sargassum) infestation.

The recurring invasion of seaweed in West Africa has become a regional phenomenon, with ecological and socioeconomic impacts, affecting aquatic resources, fisheries, waterways, coastal habitats and the tourism sector in particular.

In reaction to this environmental catastrophe and in response to requests from the Government of Sierra Leone and other affected countries in the region to provide technical support in dealing with the ecological and socioeconomic impacts caused by the seaweed invasion in the region, the Abidjan Convention Secretariat in partnership with the UNEP Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities-GPA, and the West Africa Biodiversity and Climate Change Project-WABiCC, will be organizing the first regional expert group meeting in Freetown-Sierra Leone from 10^th to 12^th November 2015.

The meeting will bring together experts from affected countries in the region (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo), and international organizations working on marine and coastal biodiversity management.

The president of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, will conclude the meeting.

Additional information on the meeting is posted to the link http://lc.cx/ZD7g

The three-day meeting will focus on achieving the following objectives

1. Share information, build knowledge, and promote best management practice.

1. Assess the impacts of seaweed on the tourism, fisheries and other livelihood activities in affected coastal communities.

1. Formulate a draft common regional strategy on the management of the impacts of seaweed and the creation of “Inclusive Green Jobs” in affected countries/communities in the region.

Given the transatlantic nature of the Sargassum invasion spanning from the Caribbean to the shores of West Africa, UNEP intends to discuss this issue as a side event during the upcoming United Nations Environment Assembly in May 2016. The intent is to draw attention of the wider environmental community on the impacts of this recurring marine phenomenon.

In the context of the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals 13 and 14 and the United Nations negotiations of a new global agreement for biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, the Executive Director of UNEP has instructed the Abidjan Convention Secretariat to provide the necessary technical assistance and play a lead role in responding to the seaweed infestation in West Africa, in tandem with affected countries and plethora of partners working on marine and coastal biodiversity management.