The Inception meeting /First Steering Committee meeting of the UNEP/MAP GEF Strategic Partenrship for the Large Marine Ecosystem (MedPartnership) was held in Budva, Montenegro, on 17 and 19 February 2010. More than 80 participants, including the representatives of 13 countries and 22 organisations discussed and approved the revised work plans and budgets. Within this project, particular attention has been given to the existing initiatives and projects in the region with the objective to reduce overlapping and increase synergy of this large partnership for the Mediterranean Sea.
The ICZM Protocol will serve as a basis for a number of activities and as a platform for collaboration for most of the partners. One of the partners of the project - the World Bank, who is responsible for the "Sustainable Med" programme, will provide financing for the selected investments that will be proposed by the project.
PAP/RAC, participating in the component 1 on ICZM, will organise four Regional Workshops, develop an Outline for the National ICZM Strategy and NAP and two National ICZM Strategies, and demonstrate the ICZM approach, tools and techniques in two pilot areas. Three other partners - UNESCO, GWP and SPA/RAC will participate in the demonstration projects in order to achieve a real integration of water resources management, aquifer management and biodiversity protection within the ICZM framework.
