Parliamentarians from seven coastline states in the West African sub-region have agreed to form a network that will consolidate efforts of their governments in the sustainable management of coastal and marine resources.

The formation of the network came at the end of a three-day sub-regional workshop held recently in Dakar, Senegal.

The workshop sponsored by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), was formally opened by the First Vice-President of the National Assembly of Senegal, Professor Iba Der Thiam.

In his opening remarks on the occasion, Professor Thiam spoke on the important role parliamentarians could play in the sustainable management of marine and coastal resources, which provide a living for many of our people.

He said the formation would go a long way in complementing efforts of our governments in increasing productivity and creating more participation at the community level.

After the opening session, participants from Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea (Conakry), Guinea Bissau, Mauritania, Senegal and Sierra Leone, each presented a report on matters pertaining to the overall coastal and marine environment. 

The Gambia’s presentation was highly welcome as a ‘case study’, prompting others to express their readiness to copy from the country’s experience.

Following the formation of the network, a final declaration was drafted, reviewed and adopted.

It was agreed that a steering or coordinating committee be put in place to enable the network and its secretariat fully operational as well as develop an action plan within the next few months and Dakar to serve as the base of the secretariat.

The workshop came out with a six-bullet-point declaration:

To create a regional network of parliamentarians for the conservation and sustainable management of marine and coastal areas and their resources in West Africa for all member countries of the Sub-regional Fisheries Commission (SRFC)

To support the emergence and/or the consolidation of National Parliamentary Networks for the Environment, which have groups responsible for the sustainable management of marine and coastal areas

To seek funding for the implementation of network action plans with support of interested partners

To set up a communication mechanism which will foster the exchange and circulation of appropriate information internally, between the various national networks and other stakeholders.

To draft and complement an action plan for the short, medium and long term in close collaboration with different partners such as IUCN and other interested partners and

To develop partnership with the parliamentary networks of other countries and regions working in the field of Conservation and Sustainable Coastal and Marine Management.

The Gambia was represented by Honourable Bekai Camara, Vice Chairman, Assembly Select Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development, and Honourable Baba Nding Daffeh, member of the same select committee.  The workshop was held in Novotel, Dakar.