Uruguay hosted over 350 delegates at the 10th International Waters Conference (IWC10) in Punta del Este from September 23 – 26, 2024. Organized by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in collaboration with UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC/UNESCO), the event focused on the theme Transformative actions and impacts for the water and ocean SDGs: The GEF IW response to the global challenge. Leaders, experts, and project representatives from around the world gathered to address global challenges related to water and ocean sustainability, aligning their efforts with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The GEF, the world’s largest funding mechanism for multi-country collaboration on marine and freshwater systems, has mobilized over $3 billion in grants and $19 billion in co-financing for 470 water projects across 157 countries. During the opening, Uruguay’s Minister of Environment, Robert Bouvier, expressed pride in hosting the event, noting that Uruguay “not only celebrates 30 years of GEF’s achievements worldwide but also highlights critical projects in our country.”
Regional Ocean Governance in the Western Indian Ocean Region
The session titled How participatory, multi-stakeholder processes can contribute to effective Regional Ocean Governance in Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) at IWC10 focused on the importance of inclusive, multi-stakeholder collaboration in regional ocean governance. Hosted by UNEP’s Nairobi Convention Secretariat, the session featured a panel of experts including Dr. Tim Andrew (SAPPHIRE Project Coordinator, Nairobi Convention Secretariat), Sibongile Mavimbela (Southern African Development Community), Yamkela Mngxe (Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, South Africa), Dominic Stucker (Collective Leadership Institute), and Margarita Victoria Caballa Secretariat for the Coordinating Body of the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) and the South China Sea Strategic Action Plan SCS-SAP Project.
The session highlighted the development of the Regional Ocean Governance Strategy (ROGS) for the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), an initiative led by Nairobi Convention’s GEF-funded SAPPHIRE Project. The ROGS development process was characterized by highly participatory multi-stakeholder involvement. This process was presented as a model that can be replicated in other regions. While speaking during the session, Dr. Andrew remarked that “involving stakeholders from the outset ensures not only the relevance but also the sustainability of governance frameworks.” The Contracting Parties adopted the strategy to the Nairobi Convention at their eleventh Conference of Parties (COP11), anchoring it as a formal regional guidance document.The session underscored the need for regional collaboration, with participants discussing how stakeholder engagement and dialogue approaches from the WIO could be applied in other regions under GEF 9. The importance of sharing best practices and utilizing cost-effective virtual engagement methods was also emphasized.
In a related session, Transboundary Marine Spatial Planning: Towards Large Marine Ecosystems of Partnerships, co-hosted by UNESCO-IOC and GEF IW, focused on fostering collaborations across regional Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) initiatives. The session, led by Michele Quesada da Silva, showcased MSP Global’s efforts to promote synergies among GEF IW projects to build sustainable blue economy opportunities in Large Marine Ecosystems. Nairobi Convention’s Tim Andrew and DFFE’s Yamkela Mngxe discussed how the WIO region had successfully integrated MSP into governance frameworks, while participants from the Caribbean and East Asia shared lessons on transboundary cooperation.
Achieving the 30x30 Conservation Target: Experiences from the WIO
The session titled Towards the 30×30 Target Across the Globe – Experiences from the WIO centered on discussions around achieving the 30×30 conservation target (efforts by the global community to conserve 30% of terrestrial and marine habitat by 2030), with Jared Bosire of UNEP’s Nairobi Convention emphasizing the importance of collaboration in achieving these goals. Reflecting on the experiences from the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), he stated, “the success of marine conservation efforts lies in our ability to engage multiple stakeholders, from governments to local communities, ensuring that conservation measures are effective and inclusive. Without this collective approach, the 30×30 target will remain out of reach.”
Jared noted that despite existing legislative frameworks, the region faces challenges such as weak administrative systems, unclear boundaries, and low enforcement capacity. These hurdles underline the need for policy reforms, capacity building, and better governance structures to strengthen MPA management and ensure long-term sustainability. The Nairobi Convention hosted this session in collaboration with several partners.
IWC10 featured a wide range of activities, including an innovation marketplace, workshops, plenary sessions, site visits, and specialized training for international water project managers. The event served as a platform for knowledge exchange, capacity building, and direct engagement with GEF and its partners, allowing participants to showcase results and explore new approaches to global water and ocean sustainability.
This article was first published on IW Learn | News.
