The African Union’s (AU) 2050 African Integrated Maritime Strategy highlights the importance of ocean governance to enable increased wealth creation within a sustainable environmental framework. The AU encourages regional initiatives to harmonise national maritime strategies and increase bilateral synergies. The WIOGEN network responds to these initiatives by broadening the conversation on ocean governance in the Western Indian Ocean region and setting new standards for research collaboration and knowledge exchange. WIOGEN has established a science-policy networking platform with an integrative vision of social learning approaches that promote regional ocean governance. WIOGEN is network member-driven and follows a bottom-up approach. Network members have established five working groups: Marine Spatial Planning and Integrated Coastal Management, Ocean Accounting, Deep-Sea Research, Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, as well as Biodiversity Conservation, Pollution and Habitat Loss. The working groups act as communication platforms amongst members within the thematic areas to identify the needs of network members and then take action to bridge the gaps between science and policy in the Western Indian Ocean region.
WIOGEN West Indian Ocean Governance & Exchange Network
1st Call
Project Duration: June 2019 TO September 2022
Project Summary
Related Themes
Key Impacts
CAPACITY
DEVELOPMENT
The project supported Early Career Ocean Professionals in their outreach activities and hosted several online trainings on the science to policy interface, ocean accounting and stakeholder engagement.
SCIENCE-POLICY
TRANSFER
The project contributed to the regional ocean governance strategy through a science-policy event with the Nairobi Convention Secretariat.
New
Collaborations
The project funded four network exchanges of WIOGEN members to workshops and conferences of partner organisations, for example small-scale fisheries including local stakeholders, such as fishermen, fish traders and community conservation groups.
