CoP 16 opened a new page of MAP

The 16th Ordinary Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean and its Protocols (CoP16) was held in Marrakech, Morocco, on 3-5 November 2009. The Meeting adopted many important decisions, including, among others: the 5-year work programme, the 2010-2011 work programme and the budget, mandates of MAP components, and rules of procedure for the Compliance Committee. Some of these decisions are related to the implementation of the Governance paper adopted at CoP15 (Almeria, January 2008) which aims at a better governance of MAP and in particular of the Co-ordinating Unit and MAP components.

The ministerial session of the Meeting was devoted to the "Adaptation to Climate Change in the Mediterranean coastal and marine environment". The Meeting adopted the Marrakech Declaration, which is dedicated to the adaptation to climate change. Also, during the session, the Slovenian minister proposed to celebrate the Regional Coast Day 2010 in Slovenia.

Morocco took over the lead for MAP and will be the president of the Bureau in the biennium to come. Finally, it was decided that France would host CoP 17 in 2011.

A number of side events took place in parallel to the plenary sessions. PAP/RAC prepared the side event on CAMP Morocco and the "Destinations" project. Unfortunately, due to non-compliance to the agenda at the plenary sessions and heavy work schedule of the participants these side events were not so well attended as might have been expected. However, the film on "ICZM in Spain, France and Croatia: Urbanisation of the Mediterranean coast", which was constantly on the screen, and other PAP/RAC materials attracted attention of the participants.