Cape Town to host Abidjan Convention

Abidjan Convention Bureau is a high level body established under the Abidjan Convention to monitor and provide political as well as technical guidance to the Convention Secretariat on the implementation of decisions made by the contracting parties. It is also responsible for the hosting of the Convention meetings such as the forthcoming COP11. The bureau consists of members of the contracting parties, with the Congo Brazzaville as the chair, South Africa as first vice chair, Benin as second vice chair, Gambia as first rapporteur, and Cameroon as the second rapporteur.

Protecting the coast

The Abidjan Convention is about cooperation in the protection, management and development of the marine and coastal environment of the Atlantic coast of the West, Central and Southern Africa region.

The associated protocol of the Abidjan Convention concerning cooperation in combating pollution in cases of emergency and the associated action plan for the protection and development of the marine environment and coastal areas of the West and Central African region was adopted by 11 countries at a Conference in Abidjan in March, 1981. The Convention and Protocol entered into force on 5 August 1984 after the deposit of the 6th instrument of ratification.