Final SMAP III Workshop: Achievements and perspectives for the future

The Final Regional Workshop of the SMAP III programme, organised by the World Bank/METAP, UNEP/MAP - PAP/RAC and the SMAP III Technical Assistance Programme, was held at the World Bank Office in Marseille (France), on June 29 and 30 2009. The workshop was focused on the strategic aspects of the policy dialogue with the participation of the national counterpart agencies, as a means to promoting awareness and enabling a policy framework for integrated coastal zones management and development integration in the Mediterranean.

The implementing partners of SMAP III presented the results of the ICZM projects funded under the programme, the Technical Assistance project’s work on ICZM and Sustainable Development and the Awareness-Raising activities and Policy Measures undertaken by PAP/RAC and World Bank/METAP – as well as the integration of all of these components and cross-fertilisation within the SMAP III. In particular, PAP/RAC contributed with presentation of the project results within the New Policy Measures component of the SMAP III project, namely, the assistance to Egypt in drafting its National ICZM Strategy, as well as the establishment of an Inter-Ministerial Committee in Syria. The workshop was also an opportunity to present PAP/RAC views on the future perspectives for the implementation of the Mediterranean ICZM Protocol. The way forward and new opportunities for collaboration between Mediterranean Countries were also presented.