______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Kigali, 9 October 2012
Representatives from the eleven participating Fisheries Administrations, Regional
Fishery Organisations and Regional Economic Communities in Eastern Africa will meet at
Hotel Chez Lando in Kigali, Rwanda, from 10 to 12 October 2012 for the 3rd Regional ACP
Fish II Programme Monitoring Workshop and Training in Monitoring and Evaluation. The
objectives of the Workshop are threefold: 1) Collectively monitor ongoing ACP Fish II
projects in Eastern Africa, identify and implement corrective actions; 2) describe the
revised ACP Fish II monitoring and evaluation system, complete Project Evaluation Grids
and score indicators accordingly; and 3) expose Participants to selected fishery realities
in Rwanda.
ACP Fish II is a demand-driven programme financed by the European Commission (EC) under
the 9th European Development Fund (EDF) aimed at strengthening fisheries management in ACP
countries. The Programme has been developed to contribute to the sustainable and equitable
management of fisheries and, by extension, will lead to poverty alleviation and improved food
security in ACP countries.
Over € 3.3 million have been allocated to implement 31 national and regional fisheries and
aquaculture projects in the Eastern Africa Region. To date, 13 of these projects are completed,
while 3 others are ongoing, and the remaining 15 projects are at various levels of development.
The Programme continues to follow a participatory approach through which ACP countries are
involved in identifying, formulating, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating projects.
Participants in the 3rd Regional Programme Monitoring Workshop and Training in Monitoring
and Evaluation in Kigali, Rwanda, will be the Focal Points from the 11 Fisheries Administrations
(FAs) involved in project implementation from Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya,
Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, two Regional Fishery Bodies
(RFBs), namely Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (LVFO), and Southwest Indian Ocean
Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC), as well as two Regional Economic Communities (RECs),
namely Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and East African
Community (EAC), and representatives of the fish industry, namely Regional Beach
Management Unit Network (RBN), and East African Industrial Fishing and Fish Processors
Association (EAIFFPA), besides those from the Programme Coordination Unit (CU) and the
Regional Facilitation Unit for Eastern Africa (RFU-EA).
The Workshop is jointly organised by the Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) and the ACP Fish II
Programme Regional Facilitation Unit for Eastern Africa (RFU-EA). It is coordinated by ACP
Fish II staff: the Regional Manager for Eastern Africa in Kampala, Uganda, Mr. Koane Mindjimba,
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the Fisheries Policy Expert at the Coordination Unit (CU) in Brussels, Belgium, Mr. John Purvis,
and the Programme Manager at the CU, Ms. Flavia Reale.
Rwanda is receiving support from the Programme alongside other countries of the region
through a number of projects for its fisheries and aquaculture sector management and
development, including the following projects during Programme Estimate 1 or PE1
(March 2010 – May 2011):
i.
ii.
Regional training on co-management; and
Action planning for improved regional fish trade for sustainable fisheries management.
In addition, other projects involving Rwanda will be implemented during Programme
Estimate 2 or PE2 (June 2011 – May 2013). These include:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
Analytical review of private sector involvement in aquaculture in EAC Partner States,
with recommendations for future areas of growth and support;
Regional training on commercial aquaculture management and development;
Provision of technical assistance support to stakeholders in reducing illegal fish trade in
East Africa;
Regional training in devising fisheries policy instruments for fisheries co-management
in East Africa;
Building Eastern African capacity for freshwater aquaculture research: study tour and
practical exercises in Kenya;
Regional study on the contribution of fisheries to GDP in COMESA and SADC Member
States.
Rwanda, following the events of the 1994 genocide, has made a tremendous effort to rejuvenate
all sectors of its economy including fisheries. The upcoming workshop in Kigali will give
Rwanda a great opportunity to learn from the experience of other countries within the region
which have made significant strides in this sector and share its own experience with them.
Since 2008, Rwanda has shifted its focus from entirely dependence on capture fisheries to
promoting aquaculture in order to achieve economic growth and food security objectives.
Capture fisheries and aquaculture are expected to contribute around 40% and 60%,
respectively in achieving the stated objectives by the year 2020. There are good prospects to
this end thanks to the aforementioned ACP Fish II-supported projects.
Contacts for supplying more information
ACP Fish II Programme Regional Manager for Eastern Africa: Mr. Koane Mindjimba –
E-mail: K.Mindjimba@acpfish2-eu.org
Media Coordinator:
JOSHUA MBARAGA
Corner Stone Africa
Tel: +250 (0)788854414
Cell: +250 (0)788302477
Email: info@cornerstone-africa.com
jmole@live.co.uk
Web: www.cornerstone-africa.com
ACP Fish II Programme website: http://www.acpfish2-eu.org
Project Funded by the European Union.
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“The content of this publication are the sole responsibility of ACP Fish II Programme and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European
Union”.
END
Background Information
Over the years, the European Commission (EC) has developed strong political and economic
relationship with countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific, collectively known as the ACP
Group, notably through the signing of the Cotonou Agreement in 2000. Considering its socioeconomic importance in many ACP countries, the fisheries and aquaculture sector has received
continuous support from the EC through the European Development Fund (EDF), both at
national and regional levels. EC-funded programmes and projects are designed and
implemented in partnership with ACP countries concerned to develop their Fisheries
Administrations’ planning and management capacities with a view to enhancing food security
and creating employment.
Objectives of the ACP Fish II Programme
ACP Fish II is one of such programmes financed by the EC under the 9th EDF, with an overall
amount of € 30 million, aiming at strengthening fisheries management in ACP countries. Its
overall objective is to contribute to the sustainable and equitable management of fisheries in
ACP regions, thus leading to poverty alleviation and improving food security in ACP countries.
Its specific objective is to strengthen fisheries sector policy development and implementation.
The Programme operates through the provision of technical assistance to fisheries
stakeholders. It is implemented through the Coordination Unit (CU) in Brussels and six Regional
Facilitation Units (RFUs) across the ACP countries, and each RFU coordinates a number of
countries within its area of jurisdiction. The RFU for Eastern Africa covers 11 countries, namely
Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and
Uganda. The Programme started in June 2009 and will be implemented throughout a period of
4.5 years, eventually terminating in November 2013.
Programme Components
The Programme consists of 5 components:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
Component 1 – Improved fisheries policies, legislation and management plans at
regional and national level;
Component 2 – Strengthened monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) capabilities;
Component 3 – Enhanced national and regional research strategies;
Component 4 – Improved business support and private sector investment; and
Component 5 – Increased knowledge sharing on management and trade.
Component 1, the cornerstone of the Programme as devising sound fisheries policies and
management plans, is critical in ensuring the sustainable utilisation of fishery resources and the
development of value-added activities in the fisheries sector. The other components will result
from the adoption of sound fisheries management instruments, primarily at national but also at
regional level. In particular, they will support and facilitate fisheries policies drafting and
implementation processes, through the development of adequate research strategies, the
strengthening of MCS measures and enforcement capability.
Socio-economic Importance of Fisheries and its Developmental Constraints in Eastern Africa
Fisheries are important in most Eastern Africa countries due to their multiple roles, including:
 Contribution to the creation of national wealth through export earnings, mainly to the
European market;
 Employment creation at both small-scale and industrial levels;
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

Provision of incomes; and
Contribution to food security and poverty reduction.
Despite its socio-economic importance as outlined above, the sector within the region is
confronted with a range of developmental constraints such as:
 Weak or ineffective institutional and legal framework;
 Limited control and enforcement capabilities in terms of MCS of fishing activities,
enforcement systems, human and financial resources;
 Weak scientific research strategies; and
 Lack of reliable, relevant and timely information for fisheries management.
It is in this context that the ACP Fish II Programme is implemented with a view to helping the
target countries better manage their fishery resources so that the sector continues to play and
enhance its role, in an international environment marked by the mobilisation to fight against
poverty and improve food security.
Programme Implementation Strategy
Programme activities in the field are being implemented through two operational Programme
Estimates (PE1 and PE2). In line with the implementation strategy jointly approved by the
EuropeAid Cooperation Office (DEVCO) and the ACP Secretariat, PE1 covered the period
between March 2010 and May 2011, and PE2 is covering the period between June 2011 and
May 2013.
Programme Regional Workshops
The Programme has so far organised a number of Regional Workshops as far as Eastern Africa is
concerned, including:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
The Regional Needs Assessment Workshop held in Kampala, Uganda, on 1–
2 December 2009 with the aim of identifying broad areas for targeting the Programme
support.
The Regional Action Plan Workshop held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on 21–
22 October 2010 at which participants identified projects and agreed on the Regional
Action Plan.
The 1st Regional Monitoring Workshop held in Kisumu, Kenya, on 24–25 March 2011 at
which participants reviewed progress in project implementation thus far and planned
for future tasks.
The 2nd Regional Monitoring and Training Workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 13
to 16 December 2011 at which participants not only reviewed progress and
achievements on project implementation thus far but also attended a Network Meeting
and were trained in preparation of Terms of Reference within the EDF project cycle.
The 3rd Regional Monitoring Workshop and Training in Monitoring and Evaluation in
Kigali, Rwanda, from 10 to 12 October 2012.
The 4th Regional Monitoring Workshop will take place in Jinja, Uganda indicatively in
April 2013.
PRES RELEASE
Objectives of the 3rd Regional Monitoring Workshop and Training in Monitoring and Evaluation
The 3rd Programme Regional Monitoring Workshop and Training in Monitoring and Evaluation
for Eastern Africa, at which 30 participants from the eleven Fisheries Administrations, Regional
Fishery Organisations and Regional Economic Communities in Eastern Africa are expected to
attend, will be held at Hotel Chez Lando in Kigali, Rwanda, on 10–12 October 2012. The
objectives of the Workshop are threefold:
i.
Collectively monitor ongoing ACP Fish II projects in the region, identify and implement
corrective actions;
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ii.
iii.
Describe the revised ACP Fish II monitoring and evaluation system, complete Project
Evaluation Grids and score indicators accordingly; and
Expose Participants to selected fishery realities in Rwanda.
It will be divided into three parts:
ii.
iii.
iv.
ACP Fish II Programme Monitoring (morning and early afternoon of first day);
Training in Monitoring and Evaluation (late afternoon of first day and second day);
Field visit in nearby fisheries and fish farms (third and last day).
The Programme continues to follow a participatory approach through which ACP countries are
involved in identifying, formulating, implementing, monitoring and evaluating assignments.
From the Programme Management’s point of view, regional workshops are a good example of
the participatory and demand-driven approach adopted by ACP Fish II and it will be the basis
for its success. All countries in the Eastern Africa Region have worked together and with the
Programme, to define needs and priorities related to fisheries policies and management. The
projects were proposed and further on validated under working groups and regional workshops
and all views were shared and taken into consideration.
The forthcoming Regional Workshop is very important because many projects are now being
implemented and the duties in following them up are everybody’s task, especially following the
monitoring and evaluation system the Programme has recently developed. The structure of the
Programme is based on the same participatory model: the Coordination Unit, in Brussels, in
coordination with the ACP Secretariat and the EC, launches and monitors all ACP Fish II projects
that had been validated by the beneficiary countries; the Regional Facilitation Units, in
collaboration with the target Fisheries Administrations through the Focal Points they had
nominated, monitor and supervise project implementation in the field.
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