More than 70 people attended the 2nd IUCN North Africa Regional Conservation Forum held on 4-6 October in Cairo, Egypt, on the theme ‘Conserving Nature in North Africa: A common challenge for a prosperous future'. The Forum concluded with a renewed commitment to strengthen membership in the region and to improve IUCN Member involvement in the implementation of the IUCN Programme 2017-2020.

Key environmental challenges, including biodiversity loss, vulnerable ecosystems, water-scarcity and climate change, and regional progress in the implementation of the IUCN Programme 2013-2016 were topics examined by IUCN Members during the Forum.

In addition to sharing the lessons and best practices collected in a survey to which more than 30 organizations (IUCN Members, partners and donors) contributed, the delegates discussed how to better involve Members in the preparation and implementation of the future IUCN Programme 2017-2020, in coordination with the IUCN Secretariat and Commissions. To achieve this recurring aim in the region, Members further stressed the need to include innovative tools and practices such as capacity building, ecosystem services, joint initiatives on transboundary protected areas, youth involvement, and better use of the communication means provided by the Union.

Another important subject addressed was the drafting of motions to be submitted at the next IUCN Conservation Congress, which will be held in Hawaii in September 2016. Members reached a consensus on three criteria for drafting more effective motions: regional scope, feasibility and relevance for the region. They agreed on the creation of a coordination group led by the IUCN Regional Councillor, Brahim Haddane, with the support of the Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, to begin working on the first drafts in the coming weeks. They also discussed the strategy for increasing the numbers of North Africa experts in IUCN Commissions for the period 2017-2020.

The last day of the Forum was devoted to current initiatives in North Africa relating to IUCN Knowledge Products (The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species^TM, the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems and the World Database on Protected Areas). A special session focused on the future prospects for Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) in the region. Pierre Carret, Grant Director of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), explained the work developed by CEPF on this subject in North Africa. Representatives from organizations such as the Network of Marine Protected Area Managers in the Mediterranean (MEDPAN), WWF and the Regional Activity Centre on Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA) of the Barcelona Convention contributed to the discussion on the main country needs, Members' expectations, available resources, potential partnerships to be built and IUCN's contribution to developing similar initiatives at regional and national levels.

Candidate for the position of IUCN Regional Councillor for Africa

Dr Emad Adly, President of the Arab Office for Youth and Environment (AOYE), an Egyptian non-governmental organization Member of IUCN, was proposed as a candidate for the position of IUCN Regional Councillor for Africa to be elected during the next IUCN Congress. Dr Adly expressed his gratitude for the Forum's unanimous support and expressed his commitment to enhance IUCN's agenda in North Africa, especially in terms of increasing the membership network and seizing every opportunity to foster collaborative projects between State and NGO Members.

The closing remarks of the Forum were made by Zhang Xinsheng, President of IUCN, who recalled the richness of the biodiversity and the institutional capacity of North Africa that helped in addressing several regional conservation challenges. He urged IUCN Members to continue their efforts to shape the future IUCN Programme and to increase the region's representation. He thanked the Ministry of Environment of Egypt and AOYE for hosting the Forum, and all the Members and partners for their long-lasting commitment to IUCN's mission and vision.

The outcomes of the Regional Conservation Forum will feed into the IUCN Programme 2017-2020, which will be presented at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Hawaii in September 2016.

We invite you to take a look at our Facebook photo album of the event. 

All presentations and documents are available at the IUCN-med Documentation Platform

For further information, please contact: Maher Mahjoub

Photo: Participants of the Regional Conservation Forum - © IUCN-Med