Brussels, 1 February 2013/ ACP: ACP Fish II Programme will hold its 5th Steering Committee meeting on February 5th 2013, at the ACP Headquarters in Brussels.
ACP Fish II is entering the final year for implementing the last 75 projects from a total of 189 to complete all the Programme planned assignment in support of fisheries management and trade in the six ACP regions.
More than a hundred projects already implemented or under implementation were fielded in response to real and prioritized needs emanating from the partner beneficiaries at national and regional level. In general, national fisheries administrations, regional fisheries bodies and regional economic bodies have expressed satisfaction that the activities have been carried out successfully and have made a significant contribution to improving fisheries management in the regions.
The Programme operates under the guidance, supervision and control of a Steering Committee. This Steering Committee is one very important pillar of the demand-lead approach and the representation of regional bodies on the Committee is one way of facilitating and increasing beneficiary and stakeholder involvement in the Programme.
Participants:
In recognition of the pivotal role of the Regional Economic Bodies and Regional Fisheries Bodies in contributing to global fisheries management, the following organisations have been designated as members of the Committee. The organizations to be represented in this meeting are the following: ECOWAS: Mr. Sanon Yacouba, COMESA: HE Mr. Gervais Nkanagu, CARICOM/CRFM: Mr. Milton Haughton, PIFS/FFA: Mr. Peter Philipson, CEEAC/ECCAS: Mr. Georges Mba Asseko ,UEMOA , SADC and CEMAC.
The ACP Secretariat and representatives of the European Commission (DG DEVCO and DG MARE) will also participate joining ACP FISH II staff and the companies responsible for the Programme implementation: Agriconsulting and MEP.
The relevance of the ACP working group of Fisheries and the relationship that was established with the ACP Fish II initiatives and projects lead to the participation of HE Mr. Peceli VOCEA, Ambassador of Fiji and President of the working group of Fisheries (WGF) and Mr. Bruce Chapman, ACP Fisheries Adviser.
BACKGROUND
ACP FISH II aims to strengthen fisheries management in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries with the goal of alleviating poverty and improving food security in member states. The Programme has a global programme budget of 30 million Euros funded under the 9th EDF, allocated to activities and projects across 78 ACP countries.
The ACP Fish II Programme supports five main areas, namely:
1. Improved fisheries policy and management plans at regional and national levels;
2. Reinforced control and enforcement capabilities;
3. Reinforced national and regional research strategies and initiatives;
4. Developed business supportive regulatory framework and private sector investment;
5. Increased knowledge-sharing on fisheries management and trade at regional level.
The first Steering Committee of the Programme was held on 29 January 2010 in Brussels.
The second meeting of the Steering Committee of the ACP Fish II Programme was held on 5 November 2010 in Brussels too.
The third meeting of the Steering Committee of the ACP Fish II Programme was held on 7th November 2011 in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat Conference Hall in Gaborone, Botswana as the way to ensure increased ownership of the Programme by the Regional Economic Organizations that are permanent members of the Steering Committee.
The fourth meeting of the Steering Committee was held under the auspices of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) in Libreville on May 23th and 24th.
CONTACTS
More information on ACP Fish II Programme can be found on http://www.acpfish2-eu.org
Contact: Cristina Gonzalez Martin, Programme Assistant and Communications, email: c.gonzalez@acpfish2-eu.org, Tel/Fax 00327390060