Assessment Report: A Strategic Framework for Private Sector Engagement in the Western Indian Ocean Region

The current assessment report is intended to support the development of a private sector engagement strategy for the WIO region which in turn will lead to partnerships aimed at reducing stress on its ecosystems. For the purposes of this report, the private sector is considered to be those enterprises that are run by individuals and companies and are not state controlled. These range from microenterprises to cooperatives to multinationals, including financial institutions, trade associations and organizations that represent private sector interests and philanthropic foundations. The report provides an overview of the key maritime sectors of the region including fisheries, tourism, shipping and ports, shipbuilding and repair, oil and gas, renewable energy, mining, desalination and undersea cabling. There is a description of each sector, including a summary of key stakeholders and an overview of environmental impacts associated with each. In addition, the report reviews existing private sector involvement in partnerships aimed at coastal and marine conservation and protection interventions.

This assessment report addresses the following:

• Mapping all the private sectors and maritime industries (from industrial to small-scale) operating in the WIO region.
• An assessment of the private sector and maritime industry operations and their impact on coastal and marine ecosystems in the WIO region.
• An assessment of the efforts of these private sector operations towards conservation and protection interventions.
• Consultation with key partners and identification of existing partnership practices.
• An examination of existing global and regional strategies, programmes and national policies, acts, legislations and regulatory frameworks that promote private sector engagement in LME or ecosystem management and conservation.
• Identification of potential high priority private sector partners to engage with to jointly address stress reduction within the region’s large marine ecosystems, and provide support to SAP implementation.