This regional project has been implemented between 2014 and 2015 in five areas identified by the Mediterranean CEPF ecosystem profile as key biodiversity areas (KBA). The national parks of Ifrane and Toubkal in Morocco, the Djurdjura National Park in Algeria as well as the National Park of Ichkeul and the Sebkha Sidi Mansour in Tunisia were the selected KBAs in agreement with the national authorities. The project allowed to draw up a situation analysis of knowledge on the values of these sites and to provide operational mechanisms to strengthen the collaboration of these sites with civil society organizations of and research institutions.

The project also sought to strengthen the partnership between the various stakeholders responsible for the conservation and management of KBA. In this context, steering committees were established in the four countries to monitor project activities. These committees included representatives of central and regional administrations, civil society and academia. This enabled an exchange platform that supported the involvement of associations in the discussion forums on the state and future of KBAs.

Available publications

The study developed for the definition of a partnership mechanism between KBAs and civil society organizations on one hand, and between KBAs and the research institutions on the other hand has highlighted the informal framework in which this collaboration is evolving. The mechanisms proposed through framework convention and specific convention could, once developed by the three stakeholders (government, civil and university society) have positive impacts on ecological, social and economic aspects of the sites by developing field actions and adequate research. The results of the study in each country are available in three reports that you can consult online.

The activities carried out within the framework of this project in knowledge-building, capacity development of KBA managers and during the various national and regional meetings helped to reinforce the concept of key biodiversity areas in the agenda of different players and to have the basic elements to continue developing a regional strategy (in the three Maghreb countries) for the conservation and management of KBAs focusing among other things on the economic value of ecosystem services in the various North African KBAs.

For further information, Maher Mahjoub