Regional cooperation leads to more support for developing nations

ISLANDS - Implementation of the Small Island Developing States

In collaboration with the Indian Ocean Commission, we helped implement a monitoring and evaluation system for the adoption of the Mauritius Strategy in the Eastern and Southern African and Indian Ocean regions (ESA-IO). The Mauritius Strategy, signed by 129 countries in 2005, is an action-guide designed to help small island developing nations prepare for the effects of climate change and increase social, economic, and environmental development.

As part of this technical assistance project, we oversaw the studies for integrated water resources management in the region. Our efforts would support the setup of a regional platform for financial protection against catastrophic risks, as well as the operationalization of a regional coral reef network.

We prepared a cross-sector macro-plan that was formally endorsed and implemented at the national level, and we identified an action plan for innovative funding mechanisms. Through proper coordination, planning, capacity building, policy advocacy, and representation at international events, we helped the Indian Ocean Commission achieve their goals in the ESA-IO region.