The Abidjan Convention convened the second meeting of the plenipotentiaries for the adoption of new protocols to strengthen the management of marine and coastal areas. Organized in collaboration with Ivory Coast’s Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, July 1- 4,  2019, the event brought together 22 ministers of the environment or their representatives, experts and partners from the Abidjan Convention.

For more than six years, the Abidjan Convention has accelerated the process of developing instruments for regional cooperation. These include additional protocols on pollution from land-based sources, environmental standards for offshore oil and gas activities, integrated mangrove and coastal zone management.

The gathering of ministers provided a platform for Parties to sign and adopt additional protocols on integrated coastal management as well as ensure their implementation at national level.

Africa's Atlantic coast is rich in natural resources, biodiversity and marine ecosystems - one of the richest and most productive in the world. West Africa’s coast has 105 million inhabitants out of a total population of 367 million in the region and generates 56% of the region's gross domestic product (GDP). However, many natural and human factors such as pollution, climate change or population growth threaten a significant number of fragile ecosystems. These protocols provide member states with tools that promote regional cooperation in solving coastal issues.