AU-IBAR and FiTI Sign MoU to Enhance Fisheries Transparency

MoU Signing

Nairobi, Kenya — January 16, 2025

Today, the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to improve the long-term management of maritime fisheries across African Union Member States. Dr. Huyam Salih, Director of AU-IBAR, and Sven Biermann, Executive Director of the Fisheries Transparency Initiative, were present for the signing, together with AU-IBAR staff that witnessed the signing. 

This partnership aims to solve significant issues in fisheries management, such as over-fishing, illicit activities, and inadequate accountability, by improving the public availability, trustworthiness, and utility of fisheries data. The MoU will promote informed decision-making, public discourse, and participatory governance among fisheries stakeholders, including governments, civil society, and small-scale fishermen.

Group Signing

Key objectives:
1.    Obtain public commitment from at least five African coastal or island nations to deploy FiTI.
2.    Enhance national and regional capacity for fisheries data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
3.    Encourage public participation and debate in marine fisheries governance.

The cooperation adheres to global frameworks such as the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, the Africa Blue Economy Strategy, and the AU Agenda 2063. It highlights AU-IBAR and FiTI's common vision for sustainable fisheries that contribute to economic development, food security, and environmental health.

The two organisations will work on:
•    Capacity-building activities to improve technical skills in fisheries data management.
•    Encouraging AU MS to prioritise openness in marine fisheries governance.
•    Mobilizing resources for sustainable initiatives.

The MoU also emphasizes the importance of engaging policymakers and stakeholders in order to increase openness and accountability, as well as the promotion of participatory governance models for sustainable fisheries management. This agreement will help Africa's Blue Economy by preserving the sustainability of its marine resources for future generations and strengthening Africa's involvement in global fisheries regulation.