INTERNATIONAL WATERS
EXPERIENCE NOTES
2
http://www.iwlearn.net/experience








2007-002

Opening Opportunities for Cooperation
Frameworks on the Environment Among
Lusophone Countries






Abstract: The workshop, "Seas of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP)" constituted
a historic meeting where high-level representatives of the CPLP Member States discussed, for the first
time, the sustainable management of oceans; prioritized common major issues on oceans management;
and identified avenues for cross-national collaboration to address these issues. The participants drew up
an action plan for enhanced cooperation among member states, including the holding of a high-level
officials workshop for awareness raising on oceans management in Brazil. This experience demonstrates
that it is possible to have cooperative initiatives formed among developing nations as a result of multi-
stakeholder dialogues such as The Ocean Policy Summit. There is a resulting strong sentiment among
the participants to continue sharing information and to take action on the issues discussed and
recommendations put forward regarding all aspects of the topics addressed, including areas on which
further work is needed. However, for this experience to happen, a lead country, with substantial interest
and experience in the issues being addressed and resources to make things happen is needed. This
experience is important to GEF and to its transboundary water resources management initiatives for the
valuable model it presents of South-South cooperation on environmental issues.


Biliana Cicin-Sain
bcs@udel.edu
Center for Marine Studies, University of Delaware
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Opening Opportunities for Cooperation Frameworks on the
Environment Among Lusophone Countries

Experience of the GEF - sponsored

GEF/UNEP: Fostering a Global Dialogue on Oceans, Coasts, and SIDS,
and on Freshwater-Coastal-Marine Interlinkages ("Global Ocean Forum")
GEFID: 2722

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The project organized The Ocean Policy

Summit, an International Conference on
Aiming to foster global south-to-south and south-
Integrated Ocean Policy: National and Regional
to-north dialogue, through the Global Ocean
Experiences, Prospects, and Emerging
Forum, this GEF-MSP project serves as a
Practices, from on October 10-14, 2005, in
multistakeholder forum for
cross-sectoral
Lisbon, Portugal, along with the Government of
discussion, policy analyses, and mobilization of
Portugal, and other partners around the world.
knowledge and other resources to achieve the
Support also came from the GEF, the Nippon
full implementation of international agreements
Foundation in Japan, the US National Oceanic
related to oceans, coasts, and small island
and Atmospheric Administration, the Luso-
developing States (SIDS). The project brings
American Development Foundation and the
together leading ocean, coastal, and SIDS
Gulbenkian Foundation in Portugal, among
experts from governments, intergovernmental
others. The conference brought together 218
and international organizations,
key national level officials, regional
nongovernmental organizations, private sector,
organizations, UN agencies, scholars
and academic and scientific institutions.
specializing in national ocean policy, donors,

nongovernmental organizations, and industry
The project collaborates with developing
from 53 nations to examine the growing
countries, SIDS, and countries with economies
experience around the world with the formulation
in transition to
and implementation of integrated ocean policies
S promote the implementation of
at national and regional levels, with the intent of
intergovernmental commitments and
drawing lessons and suggesting emerging best
agreements on oceans, including the
practices.
Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and

the Global Programme of Action for the
During the summit, the Community of
Protection of the Marine Environment from
Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP)
Land-based Activities (GPA);
organized the first-ever workshop on The Seas
S carry out multi-sectoral dialogues and policy
of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking
analyses, public outreach and cross-learning
Countries, to identify the common needs of its
between Large Marine Ecosystems
member states (Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde,
experiences and coastal and ocean
Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São
management experiences;
Tomé and Príncipe, and East Timor) in the
S raise awareness of and promote the
development of national ocean policies as a
implementation of integrated national ocean
major strategy for strengthening their national
policies and ecosystem-based approaches
economies as well as their external relations.
to large marine ecosystems as a vehicle for
The CPLP's members states' Exclusive
achieving sustainable development,
Economic Zones comprise approximately 10
especially in SIDS countries;
million square kilometres. For centuries their
S and work to improve interlinkages between
maritime histories have been closely related to
freshwater, coastal and oceans issues in
the oceans, rendering their oceans as a major
association with global freshwater
cultural and socio-economic asset.
institutions.


The workshop constituted a historic meeting
THE EXPERIENCE
where high level representatives of the CPLP

Member States discussed, for the first time, the
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sustainable management of oceans; prioritized
c) Promote the implementation of sustainable
major common issues on oceans management;
development models based on sound policies,
and identified avenues for cross-national
science and technology, environmental
collaboration to address these issues. The
conservation, quality of life, and on the available
participants drew up an action plan for enhanced
resources, social, economic, environmental and
cooperation among member states, including
political context of each country;
the holding of a high-level officials workshop for
d) Contribute to the identification and
raising awareness on oceans management.
prioritization of financial mechanisms for the

effective implementation of this framework, and
The Government of Brazil subsequently hosted
facilitate the transfer, access and development
a Ministerial-level workshop for the CPLP, held
of technologies and knowledge among Member
in Brasilia on May 24-26, 2006, which resulted in
States;
a Framework of Cooperation on the
e) Identify proposals of cooperation and lines of
Environment among CPLP Member States. The
convergence to maximize efforts with other
framework represents a renewal of the
regions, such as the Environmental Initiative of
commitments made by the CPLP to multilateral
the New Partnership for Africa's Development
environmental agreements, particularly the
(NEPAD) and the Latin America and the
Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and the
Caribbean Initiative for Sustainable
Millennium Development Goals. In addition, the
Development (ILAC), in order to exchange
CPLP Framework of Cooperation on the
experiences and to promote new opportunities
Environment gives priority to the implementation
of cooperation;
of existing institutional arrangements already in
f) Stimulate actions that open up the
place, particularly in respect to the Bali Strategic
dissemination of information and communication
Plan for Technology Support and Capacity
of environmental initiatives, as well as
Building, the UNEP Global Programme of Action
strengthen the education and awareness among
for the Protection of the Marine Environment
human populations on environmental issues;
from Land-based Activities, and the GEF
g) Involve the private sector, civil society and
International Waters Programme.
academic sector in research and development

for the sustainable development of the
The workshop participants agreed that a fruitful
environment, especially in nature protection and
cooperation among CPLP nations could be
development and use of clean technologies; and
achieved in the areas noted below with different
h) Strengthen cooperation with International and
countries taking responsibility for serving as the
Intergovernmental Organizations and
lead on the issue:
Specialized Agencies of the United Nations


S Biodiversity
The Framework will be implemented in various
S Combating Desertification and Mitigation of
ways, including:
the Effects of Drought

S Ecotourism
a) Exchange of information;
S Environmental Education
b) Professional enhancement, through training
S Ocean and Coastal Management
courses, student exchange and academic
S Waste Management
programs;
S Integrated Water Resources Management
c) Strengthening of environmental management
S Climate Change and Renewable Energies.
programs;

d) Implementation of joint projects in each of the
Within these areas, the Cooperation Framework
thematic areas included in this Framework;
calls for Member States to:
e) Exchange of technicians, consultants and

researchers;
a) Consolidate and strengthen the efforts of
f) Organization of seminars, symposia and
CPLP Members States in the implementation of
conferences; and
environmental programs aimed at sustainable
g) Provision of equipment and other necessary
development;
materials for the accomplishment of specific
b) Develop priority initiatives that engage all
projects.
sectors of society in the implementation of

sustainable development activities;
Implementation of the Framework is already
underway with a specific two-year agreement
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with funding between Brazil and Cape Verde to

provide support for Cape Verde in capacity
REFERENCES
building, training, methodologies, and

publications related to integrated management
Contact Information for the Global Forum on
of coastal shores and to oil spill prevention.
Oceans, Coasts, and Islands:
Discussions are underway, as well, between the

Government of Norway and the Government of
Dr. Biliana Cicin-Sain
Brazil for further support of a tri-partite
Gerard J. Mangone Center for Marine
collaboration and technical assistance among
University of Delaware, Robinson Hall 301
Brazil, Cape Verde, and Norway.
Newark, Delaware 19716 USA

Tel: +1.302.831.8086; Fax: +1.302.831.3668
RESULTS AND LEARNING
Email: bcs@udel.edu


This experience demonstrates that it is possible
Contact Information for the Framework of
to have cooperative initiatives formed among
Cooperation:
developing nations as a result of multi-

stakeholder dialogues such as The Ocean
Dr. Ademilson Zamboni
Policy Summit. Meetings such as this, where
Integrated Coastal Zone Management Program
intergovernmental, governmental, NGOs,
Coordinator
scientists, and civil society participants meet to
Ministry of Environment
address specific issues provide opportunities
Esplanada Dos Ministerios Bloco B Sala 831
where discussions are held in a cooperative
Brasilia, 70 068-900 BRAZIL
environment for dialogue and joint work. There
Tel: +55.61.40091161; Fax: +55.61.40091766
is a resulting strong sentiment among the
E-mail: ademilson.zamboni@mma.gov.br
participants to continue sharing information and

to take action on the issues discussed and
KEYWORDS
recommendations put forward regarding all

aspects of the topics addressed, including areas
S Multi-stakeholder dialogue
on which further work is needed.
S South-South cooperation

S Community of Portuguese-Speaking
REPLICATION
Countries


However, for this experience to happen, a lead
The Global Environment Facility (GEF)
country, with substantial interest and experience
International Waters Experience Notes series
in the issues being addressed and resources to
helps the transboundary water management
make things happen, such as Brazil, has to step
(TWM) community share its practical
up and organize follow-on activities, for instance
experiences to promote better TWM.
the Ministerial-level workshop, which was
Experiences include successful practices,
needed in order to consolidate the high-level
approaches, strategies, lessons, methodologies,
attention and subsequent cooperation on the
etc., that emerge in the context of TWM.
issues. Additionally, this cooperative effort takes

advantage of a common language, accumulated
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assets and experience, and combined political
contribute your own, please visit
will among the member States.
http://www.iwlearn.net/experience or email

info@iwlearn.net.
SIGNIFICANCE

This experience is important to GEF and to its
transboundary water resources management
initiatives for the valuable model it presents of
South-South cooperation on environmental
issues. The water bodies need not be adjacent
for the countries to come together under joint
initiatives. Common issues, shared aspirations
and catalytic resources are what it took for the
CPLP Framework of Cooperation to happen.
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