The BCC Development Partners and Investment Conference was held at the Southern Sun Hotel, Pretoria on 4 December 2014. It was hosted by the Government of the Republic of South Africa. The following Ministers and Deputy Ministers attended the Conference:
- Hon. Bernhard Esau, Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Namibia
- Hon. Advocate Ngoako Ramatlhodi, Minister of Mineral Resources, South Africa
- Hon. Sindisiwe Chikunga, Deputy Minister of Transport, South Africa
- The Minister of Fisheries of Angola was represented by Ms. Maria de Lourdes Sardinha
- The Minister of Works and Transport of Namibia was represented by Mr. Matthew Nangolo.
Senior officials and members of the BCC Management Board from each of the Member States attended the Meeting, as well as members of the BCC Secretariat.
Representatives of the governments of Germany and Norway; and representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) also attended the meeting. A video address was given by the CEO of the Global Environment Facility.
The objective of the meeting was to showcase the Commission as a tested contemporary inter-governmental institution that contributes tangibly towards sustainable development; demonstrate the BCC as a significant return on development partners’ and Member States’ investments over the past 20 years; mobilise and secure the resources necessary for the long-term sustainability of the Commission, the achievements of the objectives of the Benguela Current Convention and the implementation of the Strategic Action Programme (2015 to 2019); and to coordinate and harmonise donor support, thereby avoiding duplication of donor efforts through partnerships and closer collaborations.
The outcome of the conference was:
1. The governments of Angola, Namibia and South Africa, their partners and supporters emphasised that the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) should be promoted and protected as an asset so that the people of the region may derive optimal economic and social benefits its resources, while environmental threats to the health of the ecosystem should be mitigated.
2. The governments of Angola, Namibia and South Africa also emphasised the active role they play in the BCC, noting that they have contributed and continue to contribute substantial monetary and in-kind resources to the operations and functions of the BCC.
3. The governments of Angola, Namibia and South Africa further indicated their sincere appreciation for the funding and support their development partners have contributed to the development of the BCC.
4. At the meeting, the long-standing partners of the BCC pledged to continue their support for the positive regional cooperation that has been and continues to be a hallmark of the BCC.
5. The Government of Germany pledged 8.9 million Euros to support a five-year Marine Spatial Planning project.
6. The Global Environment Facility pledged USD 10.9 million to support the further development of the BCC as an institution.
7. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) pledged its ongoing support to the BCC.
8. The Norwegian government reiterated its support to the BCC, saying it remains faithful to the organisation’s objectives.
9. Mining company, Namdeb, pledged its intention to collaborate and partner with the BCC.
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Zolile Nqayi
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