RAC/SPA has organized, on 17 and 18 November 2015, the MedMPAnet project final workshop in Tunis, in the presence of the representatives of partner countries and various actors involved in the project.

The workshop started with welcome adresses from Mr Khalil Attia, RAC/SPA Director and Mr Lorenzo Galbiati, "MedPartnership" project manager.

The official opening of the workshop was then provided by Mr Najib Darwich, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Tunisia.

From left to right: Mr Khalil Attia, Mr Najib Darwich, Mr Lorenzo Galbiati

> Listen to Mr Najib Darwich (in French).

Launched in 2010 by RAC/SPA, the MedMPAnet project aimed to provide technical support to the Mediterranean countries, in order to create new protected areas and improve their management.

You can read the MedPartnership summary activity report 2009-2015 (in English), to find out more about the results of the MedMPAnet project, classified by theme:

• Roadmap to achieve Aichi Target 11 in the Mediterranean: p27
• Capacity building programme for MPA practitioners: p29
• Ecological monitoring of marine protected areas practical training programme: p30
• Supporting MPA management: p31
• Supporting the network of MPA managers in the Mediterranean (MedPAN): p31
• Capacity Building strategy for enhancing MPA management in the Mediterranean: p32
• Country-specific trainings: p32
• On-the-job trainings in planning MPAs: p32
• MPA creation and management guidelines and teaching packages: p41
• Guidelines on the actual needs of MPA planners and managers: p41
• Guidebooks for MPA practitioners in the Mediterranean: p42
• Sustainable financing of new MPAs: p42
• Pilot activities in Albania: p46
• Pilot activities in Algeria: p48
• Pilot activities in Croatia: p51
• Pilot activities in Egypt: p57
• Pilot activities in Lebanon: p59
• Pilot activities in Libya: p61
• Pilot activities in Montenegro: p64
• Pilot activities in Morocco: p66
• Pilot activities in Tunisia: p71

To view all the publications of the MedMPAnet project, visit the RAC/SPA website.

The workshop brought together 107 participants from 15 countries, MPA managers, administrations staff, experts, scientists and representatives of civil society.

It allowed presenting all the results of the project, and discuss lessons learnt during a roundtable moderated by Ms. Imen Meliane, 7Seas, RAC/SPA consultant.

From left to right: Ms. Imen Melian, Mr Hocein Bazairi, Ms. Silvia Revenga, Mr Sami Ben Haj, Mr Harun Güçlüsoy

> Listen to Ms. Imen Meliane presentation (in English).

You can also read the report "Reflections on the achievements and future directions for marine protected areas in the Mediterranean" (provisional version, in English).

Ms. Souha El Asmi, MedMPAnet project manager, presented the project follow-up: a "small" project of two years and half, having the same objectives than the MedMPAnet project, and that will concern the southern Mediterranean countries.

> Listen to Ms. Souha El Asmi (in French).

At the end of the workshop, Mr Atef Limam, MedMPAnet project officer, presented the preliminary conclusions and recommendations of the workshop which will be finalized soon and disseminated to the participants to the workshop.

From left to right: Ms. Souha El Asmi, Mr Atef Limam

You can read the preliminary conclusions and recommendations of the workshop (provisional version, in English).

Following the workshop, the documentary film "The Mediterranean, Man and Sea" produced by RAC/SPA was screened for the first time.

The film explains the issues, the challenges of creating new MPAs and the objectives to reach.

From Left to right: Mr Laurent Gaillardon, Ms. Rim Mathlouthi

While awaiting further screenings, you could request a copy of the DVD (available in English, French and Arabic) by writing to this address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

We thank the media who covered the workshop, especially Oxygène FM Radio. You can listen to Mr Atef Limam, MedMPAnet project officer, to have a brief overview of the MedMPAnet project in Arabic.

Resources:

• All workshop photos are available here
• Workshop's programme
• List of participants
• MedMPAnet project results and achievements in Albania
• MedMPAnet project results and achievements in Algeria
• MedMPAnet project results and achievements in Croatia
• MedMPAnet project results and achievements in Egypt
• MedMPAnet project results and achievements in Lebanon (part1)
• MedMPAnet project results and achievements in Lebanon (part2)
• MedMPAnet project results and achievements in Libya
• MedMPAnet project results and achievements in Montenegro
• MedMPAnet project results and achievements in Morocco
• MedMPAnet project results and achievements in Tunisia
• MedMPAnet project results and achievements at regional level
• MedMPAnet project follow-up
• Roundtable - Best practices and lessons learnt

Photos credit: RAC/SPA - Omar Sfayhi