The review process of the renewed Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development makes a step further

The two-day conference was hosted by the Government of Malta on the 17th and 18th February in Floriana (Malta) and counted with the collaboration of UNEP/MAP and Plan Bleu.

The Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD) is a framework strategy, which purpose is to adapt international commitments to the Mediterranean regional conditions, in order to guide sustainable development strategies, and initiate dynamic partnerships between countries. This strategy was adopted by the Barcelona Convention in 2005 and is currently in a revision process to be concluded in 2015.

Participants worked in 3 groups and had the opportunity to make comments and recommendations on the 6 thematic areas in which the revised MSSD is structured: seas and coasts; natural resources; rural development and food; climate; sustainable cities; transition towards green economy; and, governance.

During the conference, Philippe Jochaud, the SwitchMed policy-maker’s Team leader from SCP/RAC, presented the draft SCP Action Plan for the Mediterranean and its structure, and informed participants on the development of the consultation process until now as well as on the current phase.

Moreover, SwitchMed team participated in the working groups to have a broad vision on how to better integrate the strategic objectives of the Action Plan within the revision of the MSSD. Gaetano Leone, Coordinator of UNEP/MAP considers “the SCP Action Plan as an important means for the implementation of the revised MSSD. This is an alignment and compliance with COP 18 Decisions on the development of the Action Plan and the review of the MSSD”.

The current phase of the MSSD review will continue with the submission of more comments until early March, when the draft will be further developed. Then the reviewed MSSD will be submitted for endorsement to the 16th Meeting of the Mediterranean Commission for Sustainable Development (MCSD) in Rabat (Morocco) on 9-11 June, during which the SCP Action Plan for the Mediterranean will be presented, and finally the renewed Strategy will be submitted for adoption to the next Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention (COP 19).

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