Seychelles to host 2nd Meeting of the Platform of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and an Expert Consultative Training Workshop on Negotiation Skills

Fri, 10-02-2023 15:00:00
@AUIBAR2023

 

The Second Meeting of the African Union-Small Island Developing States (AU-SIDS) Platform will take place in Seychelles from February 15-17, 2023, convened by AU-IBAR under the auspices of the FishGov2 and Conserving Aquatic Biodiversity in the Africa Blue Economy Projects. The goal of this meeting is to provide participants with training in international negotiation. The European Union (EU) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) are both providing funding for the event.

Following are some of the primary priorities of this grouping:

•    Consolidate the outcomes and recommendations of the first meeting of the AU-SIDS Platform and chart the way forward for strategic positions;
•    Enhance the capacities of AU-SIDS and other pre-identified negotiators - in terms of international negotiations;
•    Formulate a mechanism to coordinate African common positions and enhanced African voice at Global Fora for fisheries, aquaculture, aquatic biodiversity, environmental sustainability and climate change related regimes; 
•    Enrich and validate the final report of the consultancy on Identification of specific issues relevant to Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and draft strategic positions and recommendations for the establishment/strengthening a platform of Small Island Developing States (SIDS); and 
•    Enhance awareness and build capacity among stakeholders on the importance of the various regimes, relevant provisions, challenges and mechanisms for effective role and participation in global regimes.

The estimated 35 invited participants of the Workshop will include delegates from Seychelles, Mauritius, Comoros, Cape Verde, and Sao Tome & Principe, in addition to Madagascar; Southern African Development Community (SADC); Regional Projects in Fisheries, Aquaculture and Blue Economy; Regional Sea Conventions (RSAs); African Union Centres of Excellence in Fisheries and Aquaculture (AU-COEs); Experts (Trainees and Trainers); and AU-IBAR Consultants.


AU-IBAR operationalized a Platform of African Union Small Island Developing States (AU-SIDS) under FishGov2 in August 2022 to meet Strategic Objective (SO) of the Project for Africa to be adequately represented and effectively participate in international fisheries and aquaculture fora and ably domesticate relevant global instruments. Under this Strategic Objective, AU Member States, including SIDS, will improve their international negotiation skills and establish a framework to coordinate African positions.

The Biodiversity Project's Strategic Objective 1 to Ratify and/or Align Relevant International/Regional Instruments Related to Blue Economy Themes called for a pool of African experts to be trained in negotiation skills and techniques to establish a mechanism for providing technical support to AU Member States for effective participation in global fora on ocean governance regimes.

Above picture: Delegates of operationalization meeting of the Platform of African Union Small Island Developing States (AU-SIDS) held under FishGov2 in Seychelles in August 2022. Read article on Operationalisation Meeting of AU-SIDS

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