UNDP/GEF PROCARIBE+ PROJECT INCEPTION WORKSHOP AND FIRST PROJECT BOARD MEETING

Summary

Protecting and Restoring the Ocean's natural Capital, building Resilience and supporting region-wide Investments for sustainable Blue socio-Economic development

The CLME+ region (Caribbean and Northern Brazilian Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems/LME's) constitutes, in geopolitical terms, one of the most diverse and complex sets of Large Marine Ecosystems in the world. A total of twenty-six independent states and eighteen dependent/associated territories are located within or border the CLME+ region. The region supports a wide range of globally significant economic activities (e.g. global tourism, transport, fisheries and oil and gas industries), as well as contributing to ecological processes that underpin the livelihoods and socio-economic well-being of people in the CLME+ region and beyond.

The UNDP/GEF PROCARIBE+ project is a 5-year initiative (May 2023-May 2028) focused on protecting and restoring the coastal and marine natural resources in the CLME+ region. The overarching goal is to achieve healthy marine ecosystems that support and promote sustainable and resilient blue economies in the region, considering factors such as climate change, gender issues, and post-COVID-19 recovery.

The project aims to achieve its objectives through various means, including marine spatial planning, marine conservation, sustainable fisheries management, and addressing land-based sources of pollution. PROCARIBE+ will leverage the outcomes of previous UNDP/GEF CLME projects (2009-2014 and 2015-2021) and contribute to key regional processes like the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) and Strategic Actions Programme (SAP).

One significant aspect of the project involves establishing a regional Ocean Coordination Mechanism to enhance collaboration and coordination among stakeholders. This mechanism aims to facilitate long-lasting collaborative efforts for the conservation and sustainable exploitation of living marine resources in the targeted Large Marine Ecosystems.

The Inception Workshop and First Project Board meeting of the PROCARIBE+ Project were convened from February 19 to February 21, 2024, in Cartagena, Colombia and through virtual participation. The event brought together 76 participants, representing 26 States and Territories and 18 organizations.

The information shared and subsequent discussions covered vital project aspects, including:

• PROCARIBE+ Background and context, building on achievements from prior projects like CLME, CLME+, and the ten-year CLME+ Strategic Action Program.

• The project strategy, objectives, components, expected outcomes, and beneficiaries, aiming to enhance marine and coastal resource management in the Greater Caribbean

• The Project inception phase, highlighting key activities and achievements, such as outcomes from the February 12 regional consultation on the Regional Ocean Coordination Mechanism.

• The project’s governance and management arrangements, including UNDP/GEF project requirements, manager’s tolerances, and issues related to monitoring, evaluation, and risk management.

• A review and update on the project strategy, results framework, co-execution agreements, revised work plan, budget, and 2024 milestones and deliverables.

• Collaborative project progress tracking and visualization, co-financing reporting obligations, and responsibilities.

• The use of digital tools to support intersessional project board activities.

Recommendations and Decisions were approved by the Project Board and are available for download, along with all Meeting materials and documents. This event represents a significant milestone for PROCARIBE+, laying a robust foundation for its effective implementation.