Brief report on the 'Global Oceans Forum'

Third Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands

January 23-28, 2006, UNESCO, Paris

The secretary general attended the global oceans forum at UNESCO in Paris24/25 January. Margarita Astrálaga was also attending for the whole period of the Forum as part of the steering committee. This was the third such conference, following the establishment of the idea at the WSSD in 2002. The aim of the forum is to accelerate progress in the attainment of international targets, promote synergy and mobilise active partnerships for implantation programmes, and to develop tangible next steps and progress markers towards attainment of international ocean targets.

The secretary general took part in two ministerial informal round tables, and made a presentation in the session on linking freshwater and oceans - something the Convention has clearly on its agenda. The presentation is attached. During the discussions the subject of a memorandum of cooperation with the Global plan of Action on land based sources of marine pollution was raised, and it was agreed this should be accelerated as quickly as possible, certainly for signature at the Beijing meeting of the GPA.

The senior Advisor for the Americas and Marine and Coastal Issues Focal point chaired a dialogue on improving synergies between international agreements and co-chaired the dialogue on capacity building on ocean and coastal issues. As member of the Steering Committee she participated in the meeting that discussed the 10 year Strategic Plan of the forum.

-- Peter Bridgewater, Secretary General