In Diani, Kenya, the Expert Assessment Group for the Green List (EAGL) for the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) was trained and formally established. The EAGL members represent ten of the top regional marine experts from six countries in WIO. This event also represented the official start of this regional Green List project, which is jointly implemented by IUCN and WIOMSA. “Through this collective effort, our aim is to strengthen and recognise the effective conservation of marine protected areas and marine OECMs.” Daniel Marnewick, Regional Area Based Conservation Coordinator, IUCN ESARO.

“The IUCN Green List is a significant indicator of conservation accomplishment. Participation in the Green List by a large number of marine protected areas and community conserved areas in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region will assure the region’s global leadership in achieving effective marine conservation and management. WIOMSA is dedicated to supporting the WIO region Green List ambitions.” Dr Arthur Tuda, Executive Secretary, Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA)

The WIO Green List EAGL training workshop took place in Diani Beach Resort and Spa, Kenya from 19-24 June 2023. The workshop was facilitated by IUCN and Assurance Services International (ASI), in partnership with Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA). It was attended by EAGL members, IUCN, WIOMSA, and CORDIO. The objective of this intensive training workshop was to train the newly established WIO EAGL in the Green List assessment process and to help contextualise the Green List within the WIO region.

The Expert Assessment Group for the Green List (EAGL) for the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). The EAGL members represent ten regional marine experts from five countries in WIO region. This event also represented the official start of a regional Green List project, which is jointly implemented by IUCN and WIOMSA (an IUCN ESARO member). Through this collective effort, the aim is to strengthen and recognise the effective conservation of marine protected areas and marine OECMs.

During the first part of the week, the WIO EAGL members went through training aimed to enable the EAGL to acquire a good understanding of the IUCN Green List programme; to initiate adaptation of the IUCN Green List standard indicators for the WIO region; to acquire basic/introductory knowledge on standard evaluations; to gain an understanding of the OECM definition and assessment framework.

On the 23rd of June 2023, the team visited the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park, hosted by the Kenya Wildlife Service. The site visit was an opportunity for the EAGL to apply some of the training in a real context, especially as Kisite Mpunguti has expressed an interest in becoming Green List certified in the near future. Kisite Mpunguti is also a site that has been using the IMET tool and is benefitting from funding through the BIOPAMA programme. In addition, the site visit enabled the IUCN ESARO team to engage with the Senior Warden and other Park Management Staff to better understand their needs, challenges and opportunities, which will be used to inform the upcoming discussions with Huawei Kenya and the IUCN Kenya country office about the Tech4Nature Phase II funding opportunity, which is ESARO is proposing to include the Kisite-Mpunguti National Park in.