Algeria keeps its momentum for ICZM!

On 21 November, the results of the first stage of the two pilot activities, namely, the development of a National Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Strategy for Algeria and of a Coastal Plan for Reghaïa, have been presented at a meeting held in the premises of the Algerian Ministry of Land-Use Planning, Environment, and Town (MATEV). The meeting was organised by MATEV with the support of PAP/RAC and UNESCO-HIP in the framework of the MedPartnership.

For the past ten years, Algeria has been working on the protection of its coast by applying ICZM with the support of PAP/RAC. Therefore, the stakeholders attending the meeting were familiar with the ICZM concept thus formulating particularly useful and relevant remarks regarding issues and problems raised in the reports on both activities. Participants also emphasized the need to work on awareness raising.

For the next steps, participants agreed to submit in writing, comments and feedback also to be sent by involved institutions, by the end of November. Thereafter the sectorial and integrated reports will be finalized in order to proceed with the second phase of the activity, which includes the development of scenarios and of the Strategy/Plan document together with an action plan. 

The meeting was followed by an organisational meeting where the need for co-ordination between the two activities was highlighted. It was agreed that the next workshops on the strategy should be held not only in Algiers but also in Oran, and in Annaba. Furthermore, a recommendation was made to organise the sustainability workshops on the Plan in Reghaïa. Finally, it was stressed that the activity on the Strategy would benefit from additional funding for the new  component of the MedPartnership "Integration of climate change and variability into ICZM strategies and plans", which comes at the right moment to integrate the climate change and variability aspects in the Strategy. The deadline for both activities was set for June 2013.