AU-IBAR and NPCA internal coordination meeting on fisheries

Fri, 15-02-2013 15:00:00

AU-IBAR and the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA) held an internal coordination meeting on Africa fisheries in Nairobi, Kenya on 5th and 6th February 2013. The meeting was the third in a series of planned quarterly meetings between the two African Union agencies and is generally aimed at coordinating fisheries activities on the continent with the purposes of harmonizing and generating synergistic approaches to programme implementation.

Both institutions reiterated the importance of this regular coordination meeting for improving cohesion, minimizing duplicity and wastage of resources and for presenting unified, coherent positions to partners.

The main areas of focus of the meeting were the finalization of the zero draft Pan African Fisheries Policy Framework and the Comprehensive African Fisheries Reform Strategy, identification of internal procedures as well as technical requirements for organizing the next Conference of African Ministers of Fisheries and Aquaculture (CAMFA) and harmonizing the programme of activities in fisheries scheduled for this year's implementation by the two agencies.

The major outcomes were the consensus on pertinent steps for finalizing the Zero Draft Pan African Fisheries Policy Framework and Reform Strategy in readiness for adoption by next CAMFA, establishment of a clear roadmap to the next CAMFA and the development of an implementation framework for this year's activities that would culminate in a Think Tank meeting on aquaculture development in Africa and an international conference on climate change and fisheries in Africa.

In attendance were Dr. Simplice Nouala, Chief Animal Production Officer from AU-IBAR, Dr. Sloans Chimatiro, Senior Fisheries Advisor from NPCA and Dr. Mohamed Seisay, Senior Fisheries Officer from AU-IBAR. A debriefing session was held in the office of the Director of AU-IBAR, Professor Ahmed El- Sawalhy, who expressed his support for the ongoing collaboration between the two African Union agencies, as this is particularly important to ensuring strategic and optimal use of both human and financial resources as well as presenting a cohesive voice to the AU-IBAR and NPCA strategic partners and other stakeholders in the sector.