The consultative Validation meeting for the Draft Regional Blue Economy Strategy for COMESA was organized by the African InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) in collaboration with COMESA, and took place in Lusaka, Zambia, from 26th to 27th April 2022.
The African Blue Economy Strategy was endorsed by the African Union Executive Council in February 2020. The African Union Policy Organ recommended further to mobilise resource in order to support African Union Member States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs), towards the implementation of the African Blue Economy Strategy. Accordingly, thorough support from the Kingdom of Norway, AU-IBAR provided technical assistance to COMESA for the formulation of the Regional Blue Economy Strategy for the RECs. In line with Article 7.1.3: of the AU Policy Framework & Reform Strategy (PFRS), “Effective consultations must take place with stakeholders in order to obtain their views and informed consent for decisions that may affect them”. It is for this reason that the consultative validation workshop was held in order to have the views and perspectives of the stakeholders on this very strategic draft.
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