IWMC.org - 2nd Symposium - Issues of Relevance

The African Experience on Ocean Environment Management: Problems Encountered and Lessons Learnt in the Continental Coordinating Process Dr. Mbaye Ndoye Assistant Executive Secretary, Organization of African Unity, Scientific Technical & Research Commission, Nigeria

The Scientific Technical and Research Commission of the Organization of African Unity (OAU/ STRC) was established in 1964 by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government. It was given the following objectives:

To deal with all scientific and technical problems relating to the overall development of Member States;
To promote the training and exchange of scientific, technical and research staff;
To propose scientific policies for adoption by Member States and implement at their request, joint scientific research and technical programmes;
To promote the effective utilization of research results with a view to accelerating socio-economic development of Member States;
To seek and obtain external funding for projects in the areas of Science and Technology of common interest to Member States which are sponsored by the OAU;
To seek facilities for the dissemination of information to researchers in the field of Science and Technology in Africa; and
To undertake scientific studies to evaluate the natural resources of the continent.

It is thus evident that OAU scientific and technical activities are under the general framework of cooperation and partnership. The modus operandi of the STRC is in the form of Inter-African Committees of Experts such as those on:

Oceanography and Fisheries
Environment and Natural Resources
Forestry
New, Renewable and Solar Energies
African Medicinal Plant and Pharmacopoeia, etc.

These were established to strengthen cooperation among African scientists and develop coordination between African neighbouring States.

Let us now highlight the achievements in major coordinated activities in the past such as the Guinea Trawling Survey Project implemented between 1963 and 1968 and the establishment of the African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources signed in 1968 by OAU Member States, and the Pan-African Ocean Environment Management Programme yet to be implemented. We will then review the coordinating process the STRC is going through in an attempt to harmonize activities in this sector in such a wide and diverse continent.

Examples of Coordinated Activities in
Ocean and Natural Resources Management

1. The Guinea Trawling Survey

This programme which predates the inception of the OAU clearly indicates in which manner the STRC had established a cooperation/ coordination link among African countries and between them and other international organizations.

The main goal of the survey was to investigate the bottom fish potential of the West African Continental shelf under existing environmental conditions. More specifically the sectorial objectives of the survey were:

To assess the qualitative and quantitative composition of exploitable fish stock;
To assess and ascertain the size, composition, growth and mortality rate of species with commercial importance;
To compare productivity in various fishing areas;
To establish a relationship between (i), (ii), (iii) and the hydrographic climate;
To locate areas which seem most favourable for commercial trawling in terms of depth, nature of ground and availability of exploitable fish stocks;
To provide reference and study collection of fish of the areas for those countries, organizations, institutes and individuals desirous of receiving them.

The role of the STRC during the preparatory and operational phases was to coordinate and organize all required liaisons between the international expedition carrying out the oceanographic survey and the entire Tropical Atlantic and the Fisheries Services of Member States on the Gulf of Guinea. The results of this Survey were published in three volumes in 1968 and were used as background information to start, in the late sixties, the Fish Industries in many of these countries bordering the Gulf of Guinea. In the light of these achievements, the Scientific Council for Africa recommended the creation of the Inter-African Committee on Oceanography, Inland and Marine Fisheries in 1967, whose main objective was to advice the OAU Council of Ministers in all matters related to Oceanography and Fisheries and to assist the STRC in coordinating Inter-African cooperation in the same areas.

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