Regional meeting of the Mediterranean Basin Ecosystem Profile (CEPF)

The Mediterranean basin is one of the most remarkable biodiversity hotspots of the planet due to its great biological diversity and spectacular landscapes, where most of the pressures are concentrated in the coastal zones. This status of the Mediterranean basin, as well as its unique biological, economic and cultural importance, led CEPF to create a conservation strategy for the entire Region, known as the Mediterranean Basin Ecosystem Profile.

As part of its strategy which focuses on enabling the civil society participation in biodiversity conservation, the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), in collaboration with AGIR and BirdLife, and with the support of MAVA and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, organised a regional meeting on updating of the Ecosystem Profile for the Mediterranean Basin and evaluating the first phase of CEPF investment. The meeting was held on 25 and 26 November 2016 in Tangiers, Morocco.

50-odd representatives from the Balkans, North Africa and the Middle East discussed how and where to continue to invest, in the best way for the CEPF, in nature conservation and strengthening of the civil society in the Mediterranean Basin Biodiversity Hotspot. During the meeting, strategic directions were refined, while the process of investment priorities and update of the Mediterranean Ecosystem Profile was designed for a new phase of CEPF investment in the Mediterranean. The CEPF team will now review all the inputs, comments and suggestions brought to the table during the two day participatory workshop to draft a final version of the strategic document for the next investment phase. The participants, as well partners who could not attend the meeting, will be consulted to comment this consolidated version. PAP/RAC will now be one of the members of the Advisory Committee for CEPF-Med.