Media advisory 

4-6 July 2017 in Abuja, Nigeria

In West Africa, the fisheries and aquaculture sector is still facing challenges that hamper its harmonious development and do not allow the sector to contribute sustainably to food and nutrition security and chronical poverty reduction within the populations of West Africa.

These difficulties include mainly: (i) weakness of fisheries resources management systems, especially shared stock among ECOWAS members States; (ii) illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing practices that persist; (iii) the low development of aquaculture with the hydrographic potential of the region; (iv) and weak processing systems and transport infrastructure for intra-regional trade of fishes and fish products. 

To address some of these issues in addition to food and nutrition security, poverty reduction and collaboration among stakeholders, actors and partners of the sector in West Africa, the Directorate of Agriculture and Rural Development of ECOWAS, in collaboration with FAO and with the support from European Union, organises a launch workshop of the regional policy dialogue process for the Development of ECOWAS Fisheries and Aquaculture Regional Policy within the Framework of Regional Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP).

OBJECTIVES OF THE LAUNCH WORKSHOP

The overall objective of the workshop is to launch the Regional Policy Dialogue process and revitalize the Regional Fisheries & Aquaculture Committee on the new fisheries and aquaculture agenda of the Directorate of Agriculture and Rural Development within the ECOWAS Commission with the following specific objectives:

• Update on the new agenda of Fisheries and Aquaculture of ECOWAS Commission within the framework of the FIRST Programme (FAO and EU Partnership programme)
• Presentation of National Policy and Strategy of fisheries and aquaculture review process in ECOWAS Members States
• Review and validation of Terms of Reference of Regional Fisheries and Aquaculture Committee of ECOWAS
• Develop a roadmap for the Policy dialogue process in the frame of elaboration of Regional Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy aligned to ECOWAP.

What: Workshop of the Regional Policy Dialogue Process for the Development of ECOWAS Fisheries and Aquaculture Regional Policy within the Framework of the Regional Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP).

When: 4^th – 6^th July, 2017 (Official opening 8:30 A.M with registrations)

Where: Bolton White Hotel, No.7, Gwandu Street. Area 11, Garki, Abuja.

Who: NigerianMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Development  (FMARD), FAO Representation in Nigeria, the European Union delegation, West African Regional Fisheries Organisations and Technical et Financial Partners.