Nairobi Convention and regional policy processes
The establishment of Marine Protected Areas is valuable in safeguarding the ecological and biological processes essential to the functioning of the WIO ecosystems; areas of scientific, aesthetic, cultural or educational significance; critical habitats; and migration routes for migratory species.
As found by this study, the sites of potential Outstanding Universal Value in the Western Indian Ocean include, among others, the Mozambique Channel, and the Mascarene Plateau, both of which are transboundary sites. The assessment provides initial guidance for States in identifying priority sites for designation under the World Heritage Convention. Subsequent steps will include establishing the governance and institutional foundations for managing transboundary marine sites, followed by concrete steps towards nomination by affected countries.
Download the brochure in low resolution (English/French).
Download the brochure in high resolution (English/French).
The outcomes of the assessment will be presented before member states of the Nairobi Convention during the Seventh Conference of Parties to the Convention, from 10-14 December 2012 in Maputo, Mozambique, to urge the Parties to:
- foster engagement between the Nairobi Convention and the World Heritage Convention at the regional level in order to provide the appropriate intergovernmental mechanism for addressing transboundary marine World Heritage Sites,
- build capacity and support national processes of engagement to achieve this; and
- engage a process to identify how to move forward to meet the priorities and needs of the countries, and processes for World Heritage nomination, for the Mozambique Channel transboundary World Heritage Site.
The contracting parties will be urged to support the activities of the World Heritage Convention and partners that continue to promote the establishment of marine World Heritage Sites in the region and further the Contracting Parties will be requested to provide institutional support and expertise necessary to bring new World Heritage Sites to fruition.
