The UNU, together with the UN Economic and Social Commission for Africa will be launching a 10-country case study of East and West Africa starting early 2003.
The year 2002 is marked by the World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg. At least for the time to the summit and its follow-ups, the world’s focus will be on sustainable development and environmental policies and governance, especially in Africa. Environmental governance requires global frameworks and institutions, but also coordinated efforts at national and regional levels as well as insights into advantages and constraints that hinder or assist implementation of policies. Therefore, conducting regional and national studies on inter-linkages is an opportunity not only to contribute to national or regional frameworks for sustainable development but at the same time presenting results of the project for the WSSD follow-ups.
Each region to be studied will include 5 national case studies. For East Africa, this could possibly be, inter alia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania, for West Africa probably Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal. These and other countries in the two regions will be selected according to their willingness to participate and their signature of, or ratification to, specific MEAs. A set of national case studies would identify opportunities and constraints at the national levels and at the same time offer the chance of comparing similarities that could then be addressed on a regional level with the aim of fostering regional policy making and cooperation.
Case studies have been recognized as the best means to provide concrete examples of how inter-linkages principles may be operationalized at the policy as well as executive level. The lack or weaknesses of national policies, legal and institutional arrangements and human resource capabilities might prove to be obstacles to effective negotiation, ratification and implementation of MEAs.
The overall goal of the project is to strengthen national governance structures and promote regional cooperation in the negotiation, ratification, and implementation of MEAs by identifying inter-linkages and synergies both between MEAs as well as between different national institutions involved in their implementation. The studies will cover policy priorities, strategy and planning, institutional and legal frameworks, financing, scientific mechanisms, capacity building, information and data, communications, networking, outreach, and stakeholder participation.
