The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region encompasses a vast expanse of ocean, stretching from the eastern coast of Africa to the islands of the Indian Ocean, including the Seychelles, Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar, as well as the coastal waters of Djibouti, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Somalia. The region includes both the marine and coastal areas of these countries, encompassing a total surface area of approximately 330 000 km². The WIO region is recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot, home to diverse ecosystems such as coral reefs (≈15,180km2, i.e. 5,85% of world’s total), mangroves (≈745,518ha, i.e. 5% % of world’s total), seagrasses, and coastal wetlands. As of 2021, it had designated 143 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) representing about 7% of the total EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone). Notably, 63% of this protected area was established since 2015, aligning with the commitment to conserve at least 10% of marine and coastal areas by 2020 as per UN CBD Target 11.

However, these ecosystems are currently being jeopardized of severe deterioration due to a number of factors making sustainable management essential for maintaining their benefits to the economy and food security of the region, such as coastal development, climate change and ocean acidification, pollution (land-based and marine) overfishing and invasive species, among others.

The European Union (EU), share significant strategic, environmental, and economic interests with the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region in the conservation of marine and coastal ecosystems. The EU, through its Blue Economy and Governance programmes and initiatives such as the Sustainable Western Indian Ocean Programme (SWIOP) and Global Gateway, actively supports sustainable ocean management in the WIO.  Shared interests are rooted in maintaining marine ecosystem services, ensuring the sustainability of fisheries, enhancing coastal protection, and securing maritime routes that are vital for global trade. France’s strategic military and economic presence in the region, along with its leadership in marine science and environmental diplomacy, complements the WIO countries’ reliance on healthy ecosystems for food security, livelihoods, and tourism revenue.

Taking into account this context, the European Union has developed its Action around three complementary components to provide a structural and integrated response to the challenges encountered by the WIO region, under the Sustainable Western Indian Ocean Programme (SWIOP).

Under this european Programme, Expertise France (EF) shall implement two distinct yet interlinked projects.

Expertise France (EF) is the French public agency for international technical cooperation. EF operates in the WIO region to support sustainable development, regional integration, and environmental governance. Through various programmes and partnerships, the agency contributes to strengthening institutional capacities, promoting marine and coastal conservation, and enhancing resilience to climate change across WIO countries.

1) SWIOP Subcomponent 1.2 - Support to Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) and their members to improve the implement of Conservation and Management Measures (CMMs) of shared fisheries

EF has been mobilised by the Delegation of European Union to Mauritius to implement the SWIOP Subcomponent 1.2. The SWIOP 1.2 aims at improving the Implementation of Conservation and Management Measures for shared fisheries resources through Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs). The RFMOs identified as beneficiaries for this sub-objective are the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA). Expertise France has been identified as the implementing agency for this sub-component, working closely with the aforementioned RFMO.

The Action is structured around three Outputs:

•         Output 1: Improving the collection, treatment, storage and protection of fisheries data, by enhancing the consistency, interoperability and reliability of existing national and regional systems.

•         Output 2: Strengthening the production and use of scientific knowledge, through standardised methodologies, stock assessment work, analytical studies, and targeted scientific capacity building.

•         Output 3: Reinforcing Member States’ capacities to comply with RFMO conservation and management measures, including harmonised tools, national training, and support to Port, Flag and Market State mechanisms.

2) SWIOP Component 3 - Improve ocean and coastal ecosystems resilience and preserve ocean blue carbone capture function

EF has been selected by the Delegation of European Union to Mozambique to implement the SWIOP Specific Objective 3. The SWIOP 3 of the european programme aims at supporting regional initiatives to improve ocean and coastal ecosystem resilience and to preserve the ocean’s natural blue carbon capture function, by providing technical services and expertise, building on pre-existing activities and experience in the area – to ensure a scaling up of the expected results. In addition, EF will closely articulate with the implementing partners of Specific Objectives 1 and 2 (SO1 & SO2), to contribute to the coordination requested by the overall coordination of the SWIOP programme and ensure its consistency across the three components. 

The Action is contributing to the following 3 Outcomes of the SO3 of the EU Action:

•         Outcome 3.1: Management of transboundary areas and ABNJs to support ocean conservation initiatives improved;

•         Outcome 3.2: Nature-based solutions to prevent regional ecosystem degradation and/or restore degraded coastal and marine ecosystems implemented; and

•         Outcome 3.3: Learning, research, outreach and knowledge of marine and coastal science improved.

These three outcomes work in synergy to enhance the resilience of coastal and marine ecosystems in the WIO region. Transboundary management and marine special planning ensures collaborative protection of ecosystems across borders and beyond, nature-based solutions focus on practical restoration and prevention measures for ecosystems, and improved scientific knowledge underpins effective and adaptive management. Collectively, these actions will contribute to preserve and enhance the blue carbon capture function of marine and coastal ecosystems in the region, contributing to both environmental sustainability and climate change mitigation.