IUCN: North Africa Programme shaped into action

In September 2007 they met in Malaga, and in March 2008 reunited in Tunis to finalise the programme. IUCN members from Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia have sat together with the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation to identify priorities and concrete activities to help conserve nature in the region.

These countries are suffering from acute desertification, which is slowly advancing northwards and is being exacerbated by climate change and unplanned development. he new IUCN programme will help coordinate activities in an integrated approach to the common problems in the region, promoting exchanges of good practice and field initiatives for alternative income for people at risk due to environmental degradation.

The 2008-2012 programme of activities has been designed to address the main concerns expressed by IUCN members in the region with concrete activities aimed at increasing knowledge, developing capacity and improving governance structures to contribute to sustainable development in North Africa as well as help provide suitable solutions to deal with global environmental challenges. This programme will be implemented by IUCN members in the region with the support of IUCN-Med, and in collaboration with relevant local and regional partners .

The detailed IUCN Sub-regional Programme for North Africa is now available.