Deadline: 25-Aug-22

Following the launch of the Ocean Decade Africa Roadmap, a new Call for Nominations opens for members of the African and Adjacent Island States Ocean Decade Taskforce. Be part of a multi-stakeholder body to oversee and promote the implementation of the Africa Roadmap across the region.

The Ocean Decade Africa Roadmap, unveiled at the African Conference on Priority Setting and Partnership Development for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (10-12 May 2022), provides an aspirational vision and solid plan for diverse stakeholders to convene around a common set of priorities to implement the Ocean Decade at the African continental level and in adjacent island states.

Building on this momentum, a new Taskforce is being established to engage diverse African partners in the Ocean Decade.

Focus Areas

Their skills and expertise should cover at least one of the following areas:

• Intergovernmental processes and coordination;
• The ocean aspects of sustainable development;
• Ocean science (natural / social dimensions);
• Science-policy / decision / end-user interface and engagement;
• Ocean Economy / finance/ partnerships;
• Innovation / technology/ infrastructure development;
• Capacity development, training and transfer or marine technology, education, communications and outreach; and/or
• Resource mobilisation and development of large-scale multi/inter-disciplinary international programmes / projects.

Criteria

• The mandate of the African and Adjacent Island States Ocean Decade Taskforce is to oversee and promote the implementation of the Africa Roadmap as well as the enabling environment necessary for its success. This will help ensure that ownership of the Ocean Decade Africa Roadmap is systematically reconfirmed and strengthened among African nations, research institutes, NGOs, industry and philanthropic partners, and regional and indigenous organizations.
• The Taskforce will:
  • Provide strategic vision, direction, and coordination of specific actions
  • Provide advice on measures and initiatives required to create the appropriate enabling environment for translating the Africa Roadmap into co-designed Ocean Decade Actions at multiple levels from resource mobilisation, development of new partnerships, coordination, to research and policy initiatives
  • Facilitate and provide support to the development of co-designed programmes, projects and initiatives for submission in response to Calls for Decade Actions
  • Continue socialization/communication on the Ocean Decade in Africa and Africa Roadmap with existing networks, institutions, exerts and stakeholders
  • Identify multisector/multistakeholder engagement and outreach activities to engage further regional stakeholders outside the Taskforce and raise awareness of the Ocean Decade. This will include specific mechanisms to engage priority groups, including indigenous and local knowledge holders, Early Career Ocean Professionals, ports authorities and maritime services, business and industry or philanthropy
  • Provide guidance and support on the mobilisation of financial and in-kind resources to support Roadmap implementation
  • Establish specific/thematic working groups as deemed necessary
• The Taskforce will comprise up to 15 expert members drawn from government, private sector, philanthropy, civil society and the scientific community, plus five members representing regional organizations (UN agencies, regional intergovernmental organization and NGOs).
• Expert members will be selected for a two-year term with due consideration to expertise, geographic, generational and gender balance, and will serve on a voluntary, non-remunerated basis in their personal capacities.

For more information, visit https://www.oceandecade.org/news/call-for-nominations-african-and-adjacent-island-states-ocean-decade-taskforce/