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Nairobi Convention
Doris Mutta
Regional Seas (Nairobi Conventions)
Division of Environmental Policy
Implementation (DEPI)
UNEP, UN Gigiri Complex
P.O. Box 30552
Nairobi, Kenya
doris.mutta@unep.org
http://www.unep.org/NairobiConvention/
http://www.unep.org/AbidjanConvention/
NAIROBI CONVENTION
The Convention for the
Protection, Management and
Development of the Marine
and Coastal Environment of
the Western Indian Ocean
1st African Regional Targeted Workshop for GEF IW Projects Rhodes
University, Grahamstown, South Africa, 2 – 4 April 2012

Nairobi Convention
The Convention Area
• An umbrella regional legal framework and a platform for
collaboration between countries and agencies in the WIO region
• The Nairobi Convention area extends from Somalia - Republic
of South Africa covering 10 states, 5 of which are island states
in the Western Indian Ocean
• Convention area has a 15,000 km coastline; with diverse
ecosystems
• The WIO region had a combined population of over 178
million in 2007. 60 million live within 100 km of the Coast

Least ecologically disturbed Marine and Coastal
ecosystems provide ecological services, livelihoods and
national economic development
In Republic of South Africa in 2000 good services valued at
$25b, and indirect benefits at $19 billion
Over 60 million coastal population
Fisheries, tourism, shipping, industry, etc
Fisheries 4.8% of global catch (4.5m tonnes per year)
Threats: anthropogenic and natural causes:
(over exploitation, climate change, pollution- marine and
land based, etc)
UNEP/GEF WIO-LaB Project 3

Project Addressing Land- Based Activities
in the Western Indian Ocean
(WIO-LaB Project 2005 – 2010
Nairobi Convention&UNOPS)
Urbanisation, Tourism, industries,
agriculture, etc
UNEP/GEF WIO-LaB Project 4

Nairobi Convention
Objectives
1. Reducing stress to the ecosystem by improving
water and sediment quality
2. Strengthen regional legal basis for preventing
land based sources of pollution, including
implementation of GPA
3. Develop regional capacity and strengthen
institutions in the Western Indian ocean for
sustainable, less polluting development
including implementation of the Nairobi
Convention
UNEP/GEF WIO-LaB Project 5

Nairobi Convention
Major Outputs/Outcomes:
a) A geographically- focused final transboundary diagnostic analysis
(TDA) for the Western Indian Ocean region focused on land based
activities and sources of pollution degrading the coastal and marine
environment
b) A Strategic Action Programme on the protection of the coastal and
marine environment of the Western Indian Ocean from land based
activities and sources (WIO-SAP)
c) A protocol for the protection of the Western Indian Ocean coastal
and marine environment from land-based sources and activities
d) The Regional clearinghouse mechanism and information sharing
system (CHM and ISS) for the Eastern Africa coastal and marine
environment
e) Demonstration projects implemented in Kenya, Tanzania,
Mozambique, Seychelles, Comoros, Mauritius and Madagascar

Nairobi Convention
Key Results
• Objective 1: Reduced stress on the coastal and
marine environment through improved water and
sediment quality
• Monitoring programmes for water, sediment and biota quality
• National and regional expert groups on water, sediment, and biota quality;
and municipal wastewater management for information sharing preparation
of national and regional status reports on pollution status and municipal
wastewater (hotspot areas and recommendations)
• Demonstration projects on wastewater management implemented in Kenya,
Tanzania, Mauritius and Seychelles
• The activities sensitised and raised awareness to the participating countries
on the problem of pollution as well as destruction of critical habitats and the
need to take remedial measures in order to safeguard goods and services
offered by these ecosystems
• The activities built the capacity of participating countries for initiation of long-term
water, sediment and biota monitoring programmes and enforcement of
regulations

Nairobi Convention
Objective 2 Strengthen regional legal basis for
preventing land based sources of pollution, including
implementation of GPA
• National and regional expert groups on Legal and Technical Review; EIA
– to prepare national and regional reports on gaps in policies, legal, and
institutional frameworks; ratification of multilateral environment conventions
relevant to land based sources and activities; and EIA approaches
– Revision of the Nairobi Convention for the protection, management and
development of the coastal and marine environment in the Eastern and Southern
Africa region
– A protocol for the protection of the Western Indian Ocean coastal and marine
environment from land-based sources and activities
– EIA toolkit that provides guidelines on comprehensive EIA
– Approaches for mainstreaming coastal and marine environment into planning,
budgetary and development processes (GPA) Capacity building workshops
undertaken
The activities have contributed in strengthening the regional legal basis for
preventing land based sources of pollution. The impacts will become evident
when participating countries put in place policy, legal and institutional
mechanisms of addressing land based sources of pollution

Nairobi Convention
Objective 3 Develop regional capacity and strengthen institutions in
the Western Indian ocean for sustainable, less polluting development
including implementation of the Nairobi Convention
The activities played a crucial role in strengthening the participating
institutions including the implementation of the Nairobi Convention
• Education and Training Needs assessments. Capacity building and
Education programmes in leadership and respective technical fields
• Transboundary diagnostic analysis focused on land based activities and
sources of pollution degrading the coastal and marine environment of the
Western Indian Ocean was successfully prepared
• A Strategic Action Programme on the protection of the coastal and marine
environment of the Western Indian Ocean from land based activities and
sources (WIO-SAP)
• The Regional clearinghouse mechanism and information sharing system
(CHM and ISS) for the Eastern Africa coastal and marine environment
• Preparation of NPAs for addressing land-based sources and activities of
pollution in Seychelles, Mauritius, Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya
initiated processes

Nairobi Convention
Demonstration Projects
(hotspots/sensitive areas)
• The projects demonstrated sustainable approaches and
technologies for wastewater management in participating
countries: innovative, appropriate, cost effective
technical and managerial approaches. Other demo
projects focused on community based management and
sensitization of local communities on the approaches for
sustainable development of the coastal and marine
environment.
1. Solid waste management as Port Louis harbor in Mauritius
2. Shimo la Tewa Prison wastewater management in Kenya
3. Storm water and wastewater drainage management in Chake Chake, Pemba Zanzibar
4. Sustainable mangrove management in Lumbo, Mozambique through reduction of
anthropogenic pressure on the ecosystem
5. Small scale decentralised wastewater treatment and disposal system applying sub-surface
flow reed beds for housing complexes in Mahe Seychelles
6. Development of ecotourism in a marine park in Toliara, Madagascar
UNEP/GEF WIO-LaB Project 10

Nairobi Convention
Demonstration Projects
Sub-Surface flow Constructed Wetland
In SSF systems water flow through a porous media such as
gravels or aggregates in which the plants are rooted
Inexpensive to construct, easy to maintain, tolerant to fluctuating
loads, indirect benefits as wildlife habitats
UNEP/GEF WIO-LaB Project 11

TTHHEE WWEETTLLAANNDD

Nairobi Convention
Challenges and Lessons Learned
• Project design relied too much on the limited capacity of the national
focal institutions e.g. NPAs, demonstration projects, coordination
• Project goals were too ambitious e.g. reduction of stress//
• Project design included outputs that rely heavily on political
processes that are beyond the (immediate) control of the project
• Project management was complicated by dual accounting system and
burdensome its better to have one institution managing funds
• Embedding of project within the Convention considerably strengthens
the Convention as a long-term governance mechanism
• The on-the-ground demonstration projects not only provide important
examples of appropriate approaches, but are also very valuable in
terms of achieving stakeholder buy-in
• The Project workplan did not account for sufficient lead-in time
• Building partnerships and a broad stakeholder basis strengthens
project outcome and sustainability
• Focus of training at governance/leadership level pays out
• There is a lot happening already, but there is also a strong need for
UNEP/GEF WIO-LaB Project 13
continuous catalytic action in order to keep momentum

Development of National Programmes of Action
5 countries engaged in
Nairobi Convention UNEP/GEF WIO-LaB Project 14
developing National Programmes
of Action:
• Tanzania
• Kenya
• South Africa
• Mauritius
• Seychelles

Nairobi Convention
Capacity Needs
• Capacity for implementation of large projects in participating
countries e.g. NPAs, ICZM strategies, implementation of monitoring
programmes and technologies rather than rely on consultants
• Capacity of national focal points to implement multiple projects at
national level , project management units at national level with
adequate resources
FOLLOW UP STEPS: IMPLEMENTING THE WIO-SAP
a) Critical Habitats
b) Ensuring water quality
c) River Flows wisely managed
d) Governance and Stakeholder involvement
• WIOSAP PIF
• Support to ratification of the LBSA protocol
• UNEP Africa Marine and Coastal Programme
• Development of ICZM pUrNoEPto/GcEoF lWIO-LaB Project 15

Nairobi Convention
SIDS IWRM for Atlantic and Indian Ocean Island
states
• PPG process completed in 2010; Prodoc - CEO endorsed and
approved 2011; Implementation 2012
(Water quality, climate change vulnerability)
• Overall Goal:‘ To contribute to sustainable development in the
Atlantic and Indian Oceans Small Island Developing States through
improvements in water resource and environmental management’
• Objective: ‘To accelerate progress in the Atlantic and Indian
Oceans SIDS on WSSD targets on IWRM/WUE plans and water
supply and sanitation MDGs through adoption and implementation
of an integrated approach to water resource management and water
use efficiency, including policy, institutional and legislative reforms,
demonstration of more effective technologies and methodologies for
the protection and utilization of ground and surface waters, and the
learning and exchange of best practices’
UNEP/GEF WIO-LaB Project 16

Nairobi Convention
SIDS IWRM for Atlantic and Indian Ocean Island
States
• Component C1 will use country-driven and designed demonstration
activities focusing on sustainable water management to utilize Ridge to Reef
IWRM approaches to bring significant environmental stress reduction
benefits. Demonstration projects will act as catalysts for replication and
scaling-up approaches to improve national water resources management,
and regionally to support the Atlantic and Indian Ocean SIDS in reducing
land based pollutants from entering the ocean.
• Component C2 will develop an IWRM and WUE Regional Indicator
Framework based on improved data collection and indicator feedback and
action for improved national and regional sustainable development using
water as an entry point.
• Component C3 will focus on Policy, Legislative, and Institutional Reform for
IWRM and WUE through supporting institutional change and re-alignment to
enact National IWRM Plans and WUE strategies, including appropriate
financing mechanisms and supporting and building further political will to
endorse IWRM policies and plans.
• Component C4 provides a Capacity Building and Sustainability Programme
for IWRM and WUE, including Knowledge Exchange and Learning and
Replication. UNEP/GEF WIO-LaB Project 17

Nairobi Convention
Experience Sharing
• Regional Clearinghouse Mechanism
• Regional Stock-taking Workshops for projects in
the WIO region
UNEP/GEF WIO-LaB Project 18

Nairobi Convention
THANK YOU
Please visit
www.unep.org/NairobiConvention