GMES&AFRICAAction Plan

Draft 0, a baseline for discussion

6 March 2010 – JEG8 meeting in Cairo

Background (1)

• Africa called to extend GMES Europe to Africa GMES&AFRICA– Maputo declaration on GMES and Africa (2006)– Lisbon declaration for GMES and Africa (2007)– Set-up a structural framework to make best use of EO

data and tools in Africa to support policy making and policy implementation for sustainable development

– Identification of thematic priorities to ensure the provision of reliable and timely information

– Build on PUMA, AMESD, Tiger, and other relevant initiatives and programs in Africa

– African driven

Background (2)

• Lisbon Process: GMES&Africa Action Plan– Objectives:

• Raise awareness of contribution of EO to sustainable development

• Identify priorities

• Outline operational modalities to reach GMES&Africa objectives (full use of EO & space systems towards sustainable development, locally, regionally, continent wide)

• Strategy for partnership between GMES and Africa

– Deliverable of “2008-2010 Africa-EU Action Plan” for the Space component of the “Africa-EU 8th Partnership on Science, Information Society and Space”

– Draft to be submitted to 3rd AU-EU Heads of State Summit – end 2010

Action Plan includes (1) (Lisbon Process)

• Governance and data access policy issues

• Identification of users communities & stakeholders– Engaged in GMES&Africa– European & African

• Mapping exercise – Building GMES&Africa on:– Activities, infrastructure, capacities and programmes– Past and current

• Long term dialogue approach– Between European and African stakeholders– Base to structure the cooperation Africa-Europe GMES communities

• Identification of necessary elements:– to build GMES Africa services– to develop complementary regional capabilities– of a strategy for their implementation

Action Plan includes (2) (Lisbon Process)

• Prioritisation of requirements and actions– In consultation with African user communities

• Identification of gaps where action is needed

• Identification of – suitable programmes – suitable funding instruments and schemes (when

local capacities and infrastructures are not sufficient)

• Timetable for long term action

Action Plan: Structure

• Part I: Introduction

• Part 2.1: Cross-cutting issues– Policy & institutional framework– Infrastructure framework– Capacity building framework

• Part 2.2: Thematic issues– Natural resources– Marine and coastal areas– Water resources– Climate variability and change– Natural disasters– Food security & rural development– Infrastructure & territorial development– Conflicts and political crises

Steering and coordination of the « GMES&Africa Action Plan » process

• Steering of the process with the Joint Steering Committee composed by:– AU Coordination Team: HRST (representing AUC), AMCOW,

AMCEN, AMCOST, the chair and the vice chair of the AMESD Programme (representing the RECs and the ACP secretariat), and UNECA

– EU Coordination Team: EC (DEV, ENTR, JRC), Portugal, France, ESA and EUMETSAT

• Coordination for Drafting the “GMES&Africa Action Plan” mandated to Joint Coordination Team (CT)– AUC-HRST (African Union Commission – Human Resources,

Science and Technology)– EC-JRC (European Commission – Joint Research Centre)

Drafting & consultation process (1)

1. Elaboration of Draft 0– Chapter template (Accra Sept 2008)– 11 Chapters: 11 AU-EU pairs of experts (March-June

2009)– 4 subsequent experts’ revisions based on CT

requirements to improve harmonization of the different chapters (July-Nov ’09)

– final version of Draft 0 submitted by CT to both the AU and the EU Coordination Teams (Dec ’09) for consideration and launch of public consultation

Drafting & consultation process (2)

3 Wide consultation in Africa and Europe– Electronic consultation - http://www.aquaknow.net/gmesafrica

-action-plan– Consultation workshops in Africa

• Northern, Western, Central, Eastern and Southern

• Under the auspices of AUC-HRST & RECs

• 2 representatives / country

• Workshop consultation website

4. GMES&Africa Joint AU-EU Steering meeting in Addis, to discuss output of the consultation process and outline orientations for the drafting of the final version of the Action Plan CT

Drafting & consultation process (3)

5 Revision of Draft 0

6 Submission to relevant circuits of approval in view of submission to the Africa-Europe Heads of State (HoS) Summit

7 Submission for endorsement to HoS Summit of the GMES&Africa Action Plan

Where are we now? (1)Electronic consultation

• Development of ad hoc web-site for the public consultation: http://www.aquaknow.net/gmesafrica-action-plan

• Available version of Draft 0 uploaded

• Translations in French and Portuguese of the available documents mostly completed and uploaded

• Links & direct access from main relevant web-sites to be added (AUC, AU-EU Partnership, EuropAfrica, other)

• Awareness to be ensured to relevant stakeholders

Where are we now? (2)Workshops

• Funds have been secured /committed in 2009 to organize 5 workshops…– Northern Africa: JRC funding – Support by OSS - Order of

service sent to OSS (Dec ’09)– Eastern Africa: AMESD funding – Support by Mozambique –

funds to be spent by 17.05.2010– Southern Africa: AMESD funding (to be spent by 17.05.2010) –

partners and organization still to be defined– Central Africa: JRC funding – contacts with CEMAC and CEEAC

undertaken but in stand by - organization still to be defined– Western Africa: EU Contribution Agreement to ECOWAS

funding – cost estimate from ECOWAS far beyond resources available – organization still to be defined

• … But critical situation due to the short time available

Where are we now? (3)Draft 0

• A basis for discussions and for the finalization of the GMES&Africa Action Plan

HOWEVER still far from Action Plan requirements:

• Reflecting the visions of experts but not yet the result of a wide consultation with concerned Institutions / decision-makers

• Still not one consistent document but 11 chapters, not yet harmonized with an overall vision

• Some critical issues not addressed yet, mainly – but not only – in the cross-cutting chapters

• Still needing prioritization and identification of organisation and coordination aspects, funding mechanisms and implementation plan.

Critical aspects to be addressed

The following aspects are key issues for the finalization of the Action Plan

• To ensure a more precise definition and boundaries of what GMES&Africa is expected to be: a Partnership, an Initiative, a Strategy, a Program, a Project, or Services and/or framework for the provision of products?

• To start addressing implementation aspects related to the Action Plan.

• To raise African expectations/objectives in terms of overall approach towards EO, in terms of governance or organization, of data access, etc.

Way Ahead

• Document ready as a catalyst for consultation

• Urgent to launch the consultation to ensure openess and transparency of the process

• Mobilisation of MSs/experts is key to the success of the initiative– Methodology needs to be set (e.g. MSs focal points? , …) – Workshops scope, participation, etc– High Level events (pan-African, BE Presidency)

• Update roadmap towards the HoS Summit