The COAST Project

The COAST Project is working to showcase some of the emerging best practices and examples that seek to demonstrate the fact that sustainable coastal tourism in Africa can indeed be achieved. In this Newsletter Edition, we showcase the work of the Benguela Current Commission (BCC), a multi-sectoral inter-governmental initiative of Angola, Namibia and South Africa. In June, 2013 the COAST Project and the BCC held a twinning event supported by the GEF where closer ties and agreements for mutual cooperation in knowledge sharing were designed and adopted.

In transforming global policies to local tangible actions, UNIDO through a partnership with the Government of Slovenia supported the acquisition and installation of a water purification unit in Chipande - Matsangoni area, Kilifi County.

Seychelles is one of the partner countries of the Collaborative Actions for Sustainable Tourism (COAST) Project. The COAST Project is a Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded project with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as the implementing agency; The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) as executing agency in partnership with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The project aims to demonstrate and support the adoption of best practice approaches for sustainable tourism that reduce the degradation of marine and coastal environments of trans-boundary significance.

“…..The COAST Project is delivering practical solutions that support the conservation of globally significant coastal and marine ecosystems and associated biodiversity in the member countries, through the reduction of the negative environmental impacts which they receive largely as a result of coastal tourism….”

During this year’s GEF IW7 Conference, the COAST Project showcased a number of materials and informational products to sensitize the participants on the various project outputs and deliveries.

The Sustainable Tourism Governance and Management in Coastal Areas of Africa publication assesses how to apply sustainability principles and policy instruments for coastal tourism development in Africa.

"Whilst terrestrial temperature increases may be experiencing a pause, the ocean continues to warm regardless. For the most part, however, the public and policymakers are failing to recognise - or choosing to ignore - the severity of the situation.”

Governments Call for Governing Council to be Transformed into UN Environment Assembly

Public communication, education and awareness-raising on the vulnerability of the marine and forest ecosystems and the importance of sustainable tourism are key pillars of CHICOP’s Environmental Education (EE) programs, which are regularly conducted on Chumbe Island and in Zanzibar.

UNIDO through a partnership with the Government of Slovenia is working to support a water treatment project in Kilifi County, Kenya for the local community around the Chipande Primary School.