GI WACAF participated in the virtual meeting to launch phase #2 of the "Sustainable management of oil&gas activities in West Africa" project (COBIA initiative) - 15 April 2021

April 19th 2021

The objective of this virtual meeting was to define project stakeholders’ responsibilities and to clarify the programme and planning of the activities that will be carried out until 2022 in the four countries involved: Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Senegal and Sierra Leone.

Considering the growing offshore exploration and exploitation activities in the region, the "Sustainable management of oil&gas activities in West Africa" project (COBIA initiative) aims at improving the management of environmental risks associated with offshore extractive industry in four West African countries.

Following the midterm evaluation meeting of the COBIA initiative, the Regional Partnership for the conservation of the coastal and marine area (PRCM) was identified as a partner in charge of coordinating and implementing regional actions during the project’s phase #2, which is structured around five strategies:

  1. Strengthening the Partnership;
  2. Improving knowledge and capacities for citizen mobilisation;
  3. Information system and pollution monitoring;
  4. Preparation and update of NOSCPs; and
  5. Strengthening and enforcing regulations.

In the framework of strategy #4, the GI WACAF Project will intervene to support countries in developing or updating and testing their national response plans in the event of oil marine pollution. During the virtual phase #2 kick-off meeting, the GI WACAF team presented the Project, its mandate, and its biennial functioning, before emphasizing the support offered to countries according to different national situations.

Learn more about the "Sustainable management of oil&gas activities in West Africa" project (COBIA initiative) ​​on the MAVA Foundation website.