Workshop for the establishment of the National Unit of the Global Alliance for Mangroves in Guinea-Bissau
On Tuesday, September 17, 2024, in Bissau, under the effective chairmanship of the Minister of Environment, Biodiversity, and Climate Action of Guinea-Bissau, Mr. Viriato Luís Soares Cassama, a crucial workshop was held to promote actions for the conservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems in the country.
Organized by Wetlands International and marked by strong participation from key national stakeholders, from the public sector, and civil society, grouped within the National Mangrove Landscape Platform (PLANTA), this workshop focused on the official establishment in Guinea-Bissau of the National Unit of the Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA), a global coalition dedicated to the protection and restoration of mangrove ecosystems worldwide.
The formalization and establishment of the GMA National Unit in Guinea-Bissau, represented through the PLANTA network, responds to this imperative of establishing adequate mechanisms to enable the country to fully benefit from the support and opportunities offered by the GMA in support of ongoing efforts to conserve and restore mangrove ecosystems at the national level.
In addition to approving the PLANTA platform’s role as representative of the GMA National Unit, the meeting also allowed participants to address various other crucial points, particularly regarding the necessary adjustments to the structure, governance, and operations of the National Unit to enable it to fully and properly fulfill its role in light of the new responsibilities it will assume.
At the end of the workshop, amended by a final communiqué unanimously adopted by all stakeholders, the participants proposed models for the structuring and operation of the unit. They also made recommendations, not only for the finalization of the proposals made, but also for continuing discussions with a view to establishing a roadmap for the development of the unit and developing a work plan in line with national objectives in Guinea-Bissau.
This workshop, which marks a turning point in Guinea-Bissau’s strategies for mangrove restoration and conservation, lays the foundation for strengthened collaboration between local, national, and global stakeholders to accelerate and pool efforts on both sides. The workshop received financial support from Conservation International (CI) and the Woka Foundation.
