African Experts Meet in Lomé to Harmonize Laws Protecting Aquatic Biodiversity
Wednesday, 11 March 2026 13:05 
(Togo First) - Lome, the capital of Togo, is hosting a continental workshop on aquatic biodiversity conservation and the implementation of international legal instruments governing marine resource management. The meeting opened Tuesday and runs through March 12.
The workshop is organized by the African Union's Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) in collaboration with the Togolese government and brings together experts and consultants from about 15 African Union member states.
The meeting forms part of the project “Conserving Aquatic Biodiversity in Africa’s Blue Economy,” supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). It aims to strengthen the capacity of national stakeholders to ratify and implement international legal frameworks related to aquatic resource protection.
Among the frameworks under discussion are the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement.
Philippe Ouedraogo, representing AU-IBAR, said the main challenge is accelerating the alignment of national legislation to better combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
“All states should harmonize their legislation to strengthen the fight against illegal and unregulated fishing,” he said.
The workshop comes as Africa’s aquatic resources face mounting pressure from habitat degradation, pollution, climate change and overfishing.
Konlani Dindiogue, chief of staff at Togo’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Animal Resources and Food Sovereignty, said protecting these ecosystems is a major economic and food security issue. Fisheries provide income and food for millions of people across the continent. Participants will also discuss strategies to develop the blue economy and the role of regional organizations in coordinating marine resource management policies.
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