IGAD, with the financial support of the EU, has been implementing a Regional Biodiversity Programme. The Programme has developed a Regional Biodiversity Policy and Protocol and National and Regional Biodiversity Database and Information Systems. Through the technical support of Implementing Partners (IPs), the Programme has also built capacity of communities at three cross-border demonstration sites to showcase how communities can support their livelihoods from biodiversity resources while sustainably managing these same resources The purpose of the Regional Workshop was therefore to share IPs experiences on sustainable management of biodiversity resources with member states’ experts with a view of replicating the good practices to wider areas in the region. The experiences also included adding values to biodiversity related products in the demonstration sites, which could also be promoted in other areas in the region. CORDIO also provided its experiences on conservation and sustainable management of coastal and marine resources in the Lamu area (between Kenya and Somalia) and around Tahdjoura in Djibouti, where they proposed Local Marine Conservation Areas In addition, presentations on ecosystem management and functions and services of ecosystems were made to enhance awareness of the experts on same.
