Events

The Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management Programme (BIOPAMA) aims to address threats to biodiversity in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, while reducing poverty in communities in and around protected areas.

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  • Promoting Local Solutions to GBF Target 3 – Exploring the impact of BIOPAMA funding on data collection, resilience and biodiversity conservation at SIDS4 on May 28, 2024 @8am(UTC-4)

    In over 12 years of implementation, the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management (BIOPAMA) programme has assisted some 36 SIDS members of the Organisation of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) to address their priorities for improved management and governance of biodiversity and natural resources, through a variety of tools, services and funding to conservation actors across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. The proposed side event will utilise presentations, panels, and conversations to showcase BIOPAMA’s achievements and demonstrate how local actions and partnerships are enhancing SIDS’ economic diversification, building resilience and disaster recovery, and propelling sustainable development. It will also explore the strategies and actions used to bridge data gaps and enhance technological and institutional capacities to empower evidence-based policymaking. Interventions will be made by the OACPS, EU, IUCN, European Commissions Joint Research Centre, OECS Commission, Pacific Ministers, and local BIOPAMA Grantees. Join us also for other two discussions on: -Enhancing Caribbean Development Using Data, Geospatial Information, and Environmental Monitoring: Building a Regional Environmental Information ecoSystem (REIS) -Srengthening the Resilience of SIDS through the BBNJ Agreement: Prioritising Capacity Building and Technology Transfer for Ocean Health

    2024

  • IMPAC 5, 3-9 February 2023, Vancouver, Canada

    Join us at the Fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC 5), a global forum that brings together ocean conservation professionals and high-level officials to inform, inspire and act on marine protected areas. It takes place in Vancouver, Canada, from 3 to 9 February 2023. Publications launches:   Etat des Aires Marines Protégées d’Afrique de l’Ouest Register here to receive the publication! Conserving our sea of islands Download it here   Check our events at IMPAC5 All times below are in PST (Vancouver time) 4 FEBRUARY From Local To Global Data For Biodiversity Monitoring And Conservation: Marine Protected Areas Experiences In The BIOPAMA Programme, 16 -17:30; room 223 -224 From knowledge to action for marine protected areas, 17-19 (poster), Ballroom Foyer The State Of Protected And Conserved Areas In The Wider Caribbean (September 2019), 17 – 19 (poster), Ballroom Foyer 5 FEBRUARY From Knowledge To Action: A Case Study Of Protected Area Management Effectiveness In Belize, 11:30-13:00, room 205 Innovative governance: locally driven conservation ensures equity and effectiveness, 16 – 16:15, room 220 – 222 6 FEBRUARY Launch Of The Publication “State Of Marine Protected Areas Of West Africa”, 16-17:30; room 205 Conserving Our Sea Of Islands – Status Of And Opportunities For MPAs In The Pacific, 16 -17:30; room 202 BIOPAMA is sponsoring delegates from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, from a variety of stakeholders, organisations and target groups, including young professionals. Read more: Pacific youths geared up for IMPAC5, with BIOPAMA support List of IUCN-led events at IMPAC5 News from BIOPAMA at IMPAC5 – newsletter Get in touch with us at biopama@iucn.org.

    2023

  • CBD COP15 Side Event – Regional centres in support of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework in Africa, Caribbean, Europe and the Pacific for monitoring Targets 1,2 and 3

    This official side event at COP15 will showcase the role of regional observatories in Africa, Caribbean, Europe, and Pacific in support of the CBD Parties in the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework, serving as regional nodes for monitoring Target 3 (and 1 and 2). Speakers: Welcome: Trevor Sandwith (IUCN) Opening remarks: Carla Montesi (European Commission) Abhinav Prakash (CBD Secretariat) Panel discussion:  (25 min) Melesse Maryo (Ethiopia) Afele Faiilagi (Samoa) Aboubacar Samoura (Guinée) Hannah St Luce Martinez (Belize) Chouaibou Nchoutpouen (COMIFAC) Conclusions: Trevor Sandwith (IUCN) Objective: Showcase the role existing regional observatories in Africa, Caribbean, Europe, and Pacific play in support of the CBD Parties in the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework. Showcase the experience of long-established (EEA) and newly established regional centres (Africa, Pacific) serving as regional nodes for monitoring Target 3 (and 1 and 2). Demonstrate complementarity with other global reporting and monitoring tools, such as DART and with the Global Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity proposed by the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and the European Commission and which will be discussed at this COP15 with the Parties. Expected output of this side event: Raise awareness about existing operational structures that can act as “regional cooperation support centres” in support of the implementation of the new targets adopted in the post 2020 Framework. Background/key messages about the EEA and BIOPAMA-established Regional Observatories: The Regional Observatories catalyse and facilitate technical cooperation and technology transfer. They facilitate liaison between Parties and stakeholders and they provide tailored support to Parties’ needs and requirements. The BIOPAMA regional observatories support collation of data on protected and conserved areas and biodiversity, which can make a direct contribution to the monitoring of the Global Biodiversity Framework. For Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, these regional observatories are ideally placed to be advanced options for establishing the proposed “regional cooperation support centers”. Register here: https://www.cbd.int/side-events/4867    

    2022

  • BIOPAMA at the IUCN Africa Protected Areas Congress 2022, Kigali

    The IUCN Africa Protected Areas Congress (APAC) is the first ever continent-wide gathering of African leaders, citizens, and interest groups to discuss the role of protected areas in conserving nature, safeguarding Africa’s iconic wildlife, delivering vital life-supporting ecosystem services, promoting sustainable development while conserving Africa’s cultural heritage and traditions. Join us in Kigali, Rwanda, as we highlight BIOPAMA’s work through three dedicated pavilions around our Regional Observatories. Regional Resource Hub Pavilion The RRH serves 24 countries in the Eastern and Southern African (ESA) region and is hosted by the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), based in Nairobi, Kenya. The Hub compiles and analyses relevant data and provides information to support field interventions, policy dialogues and decision-making processes at local, national and regional levels. The ESA RRH offers information management systems and tools, capacity building, knowledge sharing products and communication activities aiming to reinforce the management effectiveness and governance of protected areas and surrounding communities in Eastern and Southern Africa region. The ESA RRH includes a Regional Reference Information System (RRIS) that is free, secure and built using open source technologies. It hosts a broad range of data that can be stored and used, such as field data, indicators, satellite imagery, maps, photos, surveys and documents. Download the RRH Pavilion Overview and Brochure here. OBAPAO Pavilion OBAPAO is a repository of data and information on biodiversity and protected areas in West Africa. The BIOPAMA Program, an initiative funded by the European Union, aims to build a solid information base for decision-making on protected areas and biodiversity in 79 countries of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States. Thus, at this West Africa Regional Reference Information System (RRIS), you will find maps, reports, data and other relevant information on the status of biodiversity and protected areas that you can download and use as needed. A wide range of environmental themes associated with related topics in biodiversity conservation and natural resource management are covered. Download the OBAPAO Pavilion Overview and Brochure here. COMIFAC Pavilion The Central Africa Forest Observatory (OFAC) was created in 2007 as a specialised unit of the Central African Forests Commission (Commission des forêts d’Afrique centrale COMIFAC) to provide the up-to-date, relevant data on the region’s forests and ecosystems that is needed for policy-making and to promote better governance and sustainable management of natural resources. Download the COMIFAC Pavilion Overview and Brochure here.

  • International Biodiversity Day 2022 – BIOPAMA Webinar / Journée internationale de la biodiversité 2022 – Webinaire de BIOPAMA

    Le Secrétariat de la Convention sur la diversité biologique (CDB) a annoncé le slogan de la Journée de la biodiversité 2022 : ” Construire un avenir partagé pour toute forme de vie ” (Building a shared future for all life). Ce slogan a été choisi pour continuer à créer un élan et un soutien en faveur du cadre mondial pour la biodiversité post-2020 qui sera adopté lors de la prochaine Conférence des Nations Unies sur la biodiversité. Le programme BIOPAMA dont l’objectif est d’améliorer la conservation à long terme et l’utilisation durable des ressources naturelles dans les aires protégées et les communautés avoisinantes, souhaite saisir cette occasion pour partager les résultats clés obtenus après 5 ans d’implémentation. Il s’agira de présenter un résultat spécifique qui est la mise en place en Afrique de l’Ouest et le renforcement en Afrique Centrale d’observatoires régionaux pour la biodiversité. Ces observatoires sont des outils qui renseignent sur l’état de la biodiversité dans les aires protégées et conservées, mais aussi en dehors de ces espaces afin que des données fiables et pertinentes soient au coeur des prises de décision aux niveaux local, national et régional. Ils aident également à renseigner sur la portée des stratégies et politiques de gestion de la conservation tout en facilitant la rencontre entre les différents acteurs. Le programme BIOPAMA organise un événement public en ligne dans le but de présenter les principales fonctionalités de cet outil aux décideurs, journalistes, bailleurs actuels et futurs, universitaires, organisations de la société civile et d’autres acteurs des secteurs de la conservation et du développement. Pour en savoir plus sur l’Observatoire des forêts d’Afrique Centrale et l’l’Observatoire pour la Biodiversité et les Aires Protégées en Afrique de l’Ouest , cliquez ici : https://www.observatoire-comifac.net/ https://www.obapao.org/ En savoir plus sur les observatoires régionaux BIOPAMA dans le contexte des discussions sur le cadre mondial de la biodiversité post-2020 de la CDB : https://www.iucn.org/sites/dev/files/biopama_information_document_sbi3_agenda_item_7_fr_-_140521.pdf The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has announced the slogan for Biodiversity Day 2022: “Building a shared future for all life”. The slogan was chosen to continue to build momentum and support for the post-2020 global biodiversity framework to be adopted at the upcoming UN Conference on Biodiversity. The BIOPAMA programme, which aims to improve the long-term conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in protected areas and surrounding communities, would like to take this opportunity to share key results achieved after 5 years of implementation. One specific result will be the establishment in West Africa and the strengthening in Central Africa of regional observatories for biodiversity. These observatories are tools that provide information on the state of biodiversity in protected and conserved areas, but also outside these areas so that reliable and relevant data are at the heart of decision-making at local, national and regional levels. They also help to inform the scope of conservation management strategies and policies and facilitate the meeting of different stakeholders. The BIOPAMA programme is organising a public online event to present the main features of …

  • Atelier de renforcement des capacités des points focaux nationaux de l’Observatoire pour la Biodiversité et les Aires Protégées d’Afrique de l’Ouest (OBAPAO)

    24-28 mai 2021, Accra, Ghana Atelier de renforcement des capacités des points focaux nationaux de l’Observatoire pour la Biodiversité et les Aires Protégées d’Afrique de l’Ouest (OBAPAO) L’objectif général de cet atelier est de présenter le WDPA et le WD-OECM aux points focaux16 États membres de l’OBAPAO. Il renforcera également les capacités du consortium et de toutes les parties prenantes sur les principes, procédures, techniques et normes de maintenance des données au niveau de la WDPA. Il cherchera en outre à mettre en valeur le Système régional d’information de référence (RRIS) développé par l’Observatoire de la biodiversité et des aires protégées en Afrique de l’Ouest tout en introduisant des outils utiles comme IMET (Integrated Management Efficiency Tool). Les informations et ressources de cet atelier sont disponibles à ce lien.

    2021

  • BIOPAMA Action component: information sessions for the Small Technical Grants for Assessments

    The BIOPAMA grant-making facility, the “Action Component” has launched a call for proposals for Small Technical Grants for Assessments. A series of information sessions are being held in December 2020 to inform stakeholders about the details of this call for proposals. Find on this page all the information of previous and upcoming information sessions! 17 December 2020, 12 PM AST Information session for Caribbean stakeholders in English Presentation: Technical and financial overview of the STGA call Presentation: Assessment tools for protected area management and governance 11 December 2020, 10 AM GMT Information session for African stakeholders in French: all details available here 9 December 2020 Information session for African stakeholders in English Presentation of Small Technical Grants for Assessments Presentation of assessment tools Video of the session (below)  

    2020

  • Introduction to OECMs

    UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), through the BIOPAMA Programme, hosted an online event designed to provide an overview of Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measure (OECMs) – what they are, how to identify and recognise them, and how to report these important sites to the World Database on OECMs. The case studies focused on examples from Eastern and Southern Africa. This BIOPAMA webinar provided an overview of OECMs from Harry Jonas who is the co-chair of the IUCN’s specialist group on OECMs. He described what OECMs are, where the definition came from, and what they mean for conservation. We also heard from experts in Eswatini (Wisdom Dlamini from The University of Eswatini) and South Africa (Daniel Marnewick, from BirdLife South Africa) giving first-hand experience on how they undertook the process of identifying OECMs in their countries, and what lessons they learned during this process. 33 participants from multiple countries across Eastern and Southern Africa and Europe attended this session. Through the BIOPAMA programme, UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) will be hosting a follow up online workshop in 2021, to help other interested countries identify and report OECMs. Please do reach out to UNEP-WCMC if you are interested at Jessica.stewart@unep-wcmc.org Resources of the event: watch the recording short survey Presentations

  • Formation sur l’outil IMET des conservateurs de 13 aires protégées en Guinée

    Le programme BIOPAMA et le Bureau des Nations Unies pour les services d’appui aux projets (UNOPS) ont joint leurs efforts pour appuyer les autorités environnementales de la Guinée, dans leur mission de mise en œuvre et d’assure le suivi de la politique du gouvernement en matière de conservation et de valorisation de la diversité biologique dans les aires protégées nationales et transfrontalières, y compris les zones d’intérêt cynégétique. L‘objectif spécifique du partenariat est d’appuyer l’Office Guinéen des Parcs et Réserves (OGPR) ainsi que le Centre Forestier de N’zérékoré (CFZ) dans l’amélioration de la planification, le suivi et l’évaluation de l’efficacité de gestion des aires protégées de la Guinée. Cette initiative novatrice consiste à procéder à la formation sur l’outil IMET des conservateurs de 13 aires protégées ciblées et ensuite de déployer une campagne de collecte de données sur ces sites afin d’aboutir à une meilleure efficacité de leur gestion. Les formations ont déjà été réalisées et parmi les premiers résultats envisagés, il faut signaler le renforcement des capacités des conservateurs de la Guinée et l’évaluation de l’efficacité de gestion des aires protégées identifiées, notamment à travers l’analyse des informations et la restitution des résultats en présence des différentes parties prenantes, y compris le représentant du Ministre de l’Environnement, des Eaux et Forêts. Aires protégées évaluées avec IMET en Guinée: Avec l’appui de l’UNOPS : La Réserve de Biosphère du Parc National du Hat Niger La Réserve de Biosphère du Parc National du Badiar La Réserve de Faune de Kankan La Réserve de Biosphère de Ziama La forêt classée de Bero La forêt classée de Diécké Avec l’appui de l’IUCN à travers le programme BIOPAMA : Forêt classée de Pic de Fonds Forêt classée de Bonama Réserve de biosphère du Mont Nimba Réserve Naturelle de Forokonia (Source du Niger) Réserve Naturelle de Kounounkan Sanctuaire de Faune des Iles de Loos De plus, les recommandations qui émergeront contribueront certainement à la consolidation du système des aires protégées de la Guinée. Ainsi, le directeur général envisage trois activités subséquentes importantes qui sont : L’exercice de révision des Plans d’Aménagement et de Gestion (PAG) ; La préparation de l’atelier national de restitution des résultats, qui permettra d’avoir un aperçu de la situation du système des aires protégées du pays ; L’engagement dans le processus d’inscription de certaines aires protégées de la Guinée sur la liste verte de l’UICN.  Il compte sur la possibilité des futures mesures visant à l’extension de l’exercice sur l’ensemble du réseau des aires protégées de l´OGPR. Selon Tanya Merceron, coordinatrice du programme BIOPAMA pour l’Afrique Central et Occidentale, « les résultats et leçons apprises de cette initiative pourront servir également à d’autres pays dans la région, qui auront l’opportunité de découvrir l’expérience à partir des activités de partage de connaissance à travers l’Observatoire pour la biodiversité et les aires protégées en Afrique de l’Ouest  ». La notion de continuité est présente aussi dans l’opinion du coordinateur de l’UNOPS en Guinée, Adama Daou. Il encourage l’idée de former les gestionnaires des aires protégées avec l’outil IMET et …

  • The Integrated Management Effectiveness Tool (IMET) training workshop

    The Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management (BIOPAMA) Programme is hosting the Integrated Management Effectiveness Tool (IMET) training workshop for the anglophone stakeholders in Africa from 4 to 6 February 2020 in Kigali, Rwanda. In order to support protected area planning and decision making, BIOPAMA is providing and assessing tools that respond to the specific requests in data collection, information management, protected area management effectiveness, governance and social assessments and others. At the end of this training, participants will have sufficient knowledge and skills to present IMET to their organization to decide whether or not they would like further IMET coach training in order to institutionalize IMET and roll out IMET assessments across their protected and conserved area network. The objectives of the training workshop are to: Demonstrate what IMET is, how it works and how it is different from other tools; Provide an understanding of the six elements of the framework for assessing the management effectiveness of protected areas namely: context, planning, inputs, processes, outputs, outcomes and impacts; and how these are incorporated into the IMET; Provide information on assessment, monitoring and planning and decision making in the management of protected areas; Discuss the capacity, skills and funding required to implement IMET at an institutional and site level; Provide an understanding of the use of IMET at the protected area level but also at the landscape and/or national level. Training resources: The workshop report Agenda (IMET training syllabus) Logistic Note IMET brochure Leonidas success story Bertille success story The  management effectiveness evaluation framework (IUCN) Results of the evaluation test (beginning of the training) Results of the evaluation test (end of the training) Responses: the next steps survey; The next steps survey: the automatic report Photo album: the workshop in images Presentations: Introduction to BIOPAMA, day 1 Session 1: Protected Areas Management Effectiveness Session 2: Exploring IMET Session 3: Context of intervention Session 4: Evaluating the management effectiveness Session 5: Analysis of IMET results Session 6: Use of IMET results – the case of Burundi Session 7: IMET and other tools and standards Session 8: Organization of an IMET assessment – general information Session 8: Organization of an IMET assessment – West Africa experience Session 9 –Regional Resource Hub and its Reference Information System  Session 10: BIOPAMA Action Component

  • Online training: the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas

    The BIOPAMA Programme hosted a webinar on introducing the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas, as a response to the high interest from stakeholders in Eastern and Southern Africa. The information provided is relevant globally. The IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas is the first global standard of best practice for area-based conservation. It is a programme of certification for protected and conserved areas – national parks, natural World Heritage sites, community conserved areas, nature reserves and so on – that are effectively managed and fairly governed. The Green List Standard describes successful site-based conservation through a number of criteria nestled within four major elements of success: good governance, sound design and planning, effective management, and conservation outcomes.

    2019

  • Formations sur les outils et services de collecte, consolidation, analyse et diffusion de l’information pour la décision sur les aires protégées et la biodiversité.

    Le programme BIOPAMA Afrique Centrale et de l’Ouest a organisé deux webinars sur les outils et services de collecte, consolidation, analyse et diffusion de l’information pour la décision sur les aires protégées et la biodiversité. Ces webinars sont maintenant disponibles. Le programme pour la biodiversité et la gestion des aires protégées (BIOPAMA) vise à améliorer la conservation à long terme et l’utilisation durable des ressources naturelles dans les pays d’Afrique, Caraïbes et Pacifique  (ACP), dans les aires protégées et les communautés avoisinantes. À cet effet, un certain nombre d’outils technologiques et services ont été développés autour du système d’information de référence (RIS) permettant aux parties prenantes de la région de disposer d’informations pertinentes et de produits de connaissance permettant de mener des actions concrètes pour la gestion des aires protégées et de la biodiversité (consultez https://rris.biopama.org/ pour plus d’informations). Webinaire 1: Introduction des outils BIOPAMA disponibles sur le RIS global et introduction de l’IMET (outil intégré pour l’évaluation de l’efficacité de gestion)   Webinaire 2: Utilisation et insertion des contenus sur le RIS (Système d’information de référence) BIOPAMA

  • Workshop for the launch of the BIOPAMA Observatory for biodiversity and protected areas in Western Africa

    The purpose of this workshop is to promote stakeholder engagement in the regional reference information systems for biodiversity and protected area management in the WAEMU countries. It will take place in Dakar, Senegal, from 25 to 27 November 2019.   This workshop will allow the exchange between conservation stakeholders on existing structures in the region to enhance data and information on protected areas and biodiversity in order to improve regional policies and strategies concerning the environment and biodiversity conservation. The workshop materials are available below: THE WORKSHOP REPORT (added after the completion of the workshop) The intervention logic for the workshop and the Regional Observatory UNEP WCMC: The World Database on Protected Areas and Protected Planet The Regional Reference Information System in Western Africa: first steps The invitation to the workshop:

  • Achieving fair and effective protected areas: international workshop

    A global workshop on how to enable and measure improved performance in protected areas, taking place in Gran Paradiso National Park, Cogne, Aosta, Italy, from 24 to 28 June 2019. The global workshop on how to enable and measure improved performance in protected and conserved areas is generously supported by the EU-ACP funded BIOPAMA Programme and it will be convened by IUCN with technical support from IUCN and the Joint Research Centre JRC. Participants will develop guidance and recommended actions to support fairer and more effective protected and conserved areas. Workshop objectives, themes and expected outputs: The goal of the workshop is: to provide guidance on how to help measure and enhance the performance of protected and conserved area sites and systems through the available standards, evaluation methodologies, and assessment toolkits. Specific objectives: Standards and principles: to understand success in protected and conserved areas and to discuss a common approach and principles for assessments relating to: Good Governance Design, priority-setting and planning for key values Management Effectiveness Successful Conservation Outcomes Practice: to develop recommendations for structuring, collecting and maintaining the data from specific protected and conserved area assessment toolkits, and from other relevant sources Management Effectiveness Assessment Governance Assessment. Monitoring and metrics: to recommend how to incentivize and improve monitoring of status, trends and conservation outcomes in protected and conserved areas and to discuss how to present and track their status for effective decision-making at protected area level and for upscaling to higher levels (e.g. national, regional, global). Data management: to better be able to promote reference information systems and improved data management and integration to aid adaptive decision-making. Incentives: how to motivate uptake of standards and assessment methodologies, and use the results to secure political will and unlock transformational change. All the workshop resources will be available on this page. Workshop materials: Workshop report (with “The View from Gran Paradiso” annexed) The View from Gran Paradiso Concept and agenda of the workshop Logistics note for the participants NEWS article: Global experts set the path for fair and effective protected areas in Gran Paradiso PHOTO ALBUM Day 1, 24 June 2019: Achieving Fair and Effective Protected Areas – introduction by Grand Paradis Foundation The Gran Paradiso National Park – a brief overview Keynote address by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission Keynote address by IUCN Keynote address: the contribution of BIOPAMA to regional and global biodiversity and protected area targets PANORAMA introduction Day 2, 25 June 2019 The IUCN Green List IMET: overview and case study Case Study from Jordan: Ajloun Forest Reserve Governance and equity assessment in the context of Protected and Conserved Areas Protected areas governance assessment experience in Colombia: Key learnings from a territory approach Principles and best practices in PAME assessments Conditions for protected area effectiveness Day 3, 26 June 2019 Draft IUCN Congress resolution Day 4, 27 June 2019 L’Observatoire des Forêts d’Afrique Centrale BIOPAMA data management Protected areas framework analysis: IMET Day 5, 18 June 2019 The BIOPAMA action component Results: governance and equity …

  • The regional workshop to launch the second phase of the BIOPAMA Programme for Western Africa

    The regional workshop to launch the second phase of the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management (BIOPAMA) Programme for Western Africa was held from 24 to 25 April 2019 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, under the aegis of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Ivory Coast and with the support of the WAEMU, the Western African Economic and Monetary Union. The workshop informed on the BIOPAMA intervention strategy and involved conservation stakeholders in its implementation in order to enhance the management of data on protected areas and biodiversity to improve regional strategies, public policies and practices in the sites. The very active and constructive participation of over sixty representatives of administrations in charge of thirteen  countries of the region (Benin, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo), plus technical-financial partners (based in five European countries) has ensured the achievement of the expected results. During two days of group work, roundtable discussions and exchange of experiences, participants were informed about the objectives of BIOPAMA programme, and through constructive dialogue, they shared their suggestions and identified priority joint actions for the countries and the region. The participants expressed their achievements and motivation to the creation of the regional observatory and the promotion of the information system proposed by BIOPAMA as well as to share data and to participate in the capacity building process to support the use of information management systems and tools in order to enhance protected areas management and governance.  BIOPAMA offers the following workshop outputs: a roadmap for the establishment of the Observatory as well as indications of partnerships to enhance data and information available in the region; a list of opportunities of national investment based on key reference documents at  national and regional levels; an inventory of themes and potential authors to consider in the preparation of the report “Status of the marine protected areas”. The main follow-up steps for BIOPAMA implementation were presented during the workshop final communication, including: the designation of a technical host of the Observatory of West Africa; the definition of regional indicators connected to biodiversity and protected areas effective management in partnership with  the countries and institutions concerned;  continuous capacity building of regional organizations, platforms and conservation professionals; organization of a workshop on IMET for Central and Western Africa (IMET 1.0 – 2.0) and facilitation of access to data analysis collected during the first phase of BIOPAMA. These efforts will be effective in influencing public policies and in decision-making processes at different levels for biodiversity conservation and better governance of protected areas in Western Africa.  

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