Together with the Africa Union Development Agency (AUDA)-NEPAD and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the African Union-Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) hosted a workshop to validate cost-effective mechanisms for stakeholder consultation and contributions at national and regional levels, as well as a consultative workshop to review legal registration instruments, the status and performance of the regional Non-State Actors platforms (FAO). Those in attendance did so at the Lake Naivasha Resort in Naivasha, Republic of Kenya, between March 8 and 10, 2023. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) co-hosted this meeting as part of FishGov 2 (the second phase of the Fisheries Governance initiative), funded by the European Union.
Ms. Francisca Gonah, speaking on behalf of AU-director, IBAR's Dr. Nick Nwankpa, said during the workshop's opening that all of these tasks need significant stakeholder engagement procedures at the national, regional, and continental levels. The interactions are critical for cultivating relationships, trust, confidence, and buy-in for AUC's core projects.
The workshops' overarching goals were to: (i) review the identified cost-effective modalities for stakeholders' consultation and effective participation, proposed recommendations industry best practices and piloting identified options, and (ii) review preliminary findings of the legal registration instruments, as well as the status and performance of regional NSA platforms. Specific goals included: (i) reviewing the study's draught recommendations and proposing a roadmap for cost-effective implementation; ii) developing guidelines and checklists to guide relevant stakeholders' consultations in situ and accurately documenting and reporting stakeholders' contributions; iii) piloting approved methodology for effective communication in selected AU MS through training; and iv) recommending the selection mechanism to target the 'legitimate and accountable' stakeholders.
The workshop was attended by 41 participants that included representatives from Regional Economic Communities (RECs, Non-State Actors (NSAs) Platforms: African Union Centre of Excellence on research in Aquaculture, inland fisheries and climate change, and Fisheries Experts, and FAO. Also in attendance were staff members of AU-IBAR.
After several technical sessions, the meeting achieved several outcomes.
i. The meeting validated and adopted with amendment the consultancy report on the identified cost-effective modalities for stakeholders’ consultation and effective participation, proposed recommendations based on best practices and piloting identified options, and
ii. The meeting enriched the preliminary findings of the legal registration instruments, the status and performance of the regional NSA platforms.
iii. The AFRIFISH-Net bureau members provisionally adopted the Rules of Procedure
Above picture: Dr, Winnie Nkalubo (National Fisheries Resources Research Institute - NAFIRRI) handing over the validated report on cost-effective mechanisms for stakeholder consultation and contributions at national and regional levels to Ms. Francisca Gonah (AU-IBAR)
