THE United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Icelandic International Development Agency (ICEIDA) on Friday signed a cost-sharing agreement amounting to N$3,8 million to assist in administering the marine resources of the Benguela current.

UNDP Resident Representative Simon Nhongo said the money would be used to strengthen the capacity of the Benguela Current Commission (BCC) through a training and capacity-building (TCB) programme to implement an ecosystem approach to fisheries management in Namibia.

"Since its formation in 2006, the BCC, which is a joint initiative between the Governments of Namibia, Angola and South Africa, has served as a viable entity in managing the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) along the southwestern coast of Africa," said Nhongo.

He said the BCC had been tackling transboundary environmental issues such as pollution, the management of shared fish stocks and the impact of marine mining and oil and gas production on the environment.

"We are working with our partners to strengthen the BCC to enable it to successfully implement an ecosystem approach to fisheries management in the three Benguela countries, with the overall objective of ensuring the optimal and sustainable use of the resources of BCLME, while restoring and maintaining the ecological integrity of the system," added Nhongo.

The money was raised by Namibia, Angola, South Africa and ICEIDA.

The programme will run for four years, and will use traditional training and capacity-building techniques combined with skills and knowledge transfer, mentoring and on-the-job training.

Nhongo and Vilhjalmur Wiium, the Country Director for ICEIDA, signed the agreement in the presence of members of the diplomatic corps from South Africa and the Director of Environmental Affairs in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET), Teofilus Nghitila.

The UNDP will be taking on the responsibility of administering the funds for the programme.

Nampa