The third Steering Committee meeting of the project “Bolstering Mediterranean biodiversity and MCPAs for nature” (SEMPA Project), funded by the European Union, was held in a hybrid format from 28 to 30 April 2026 in Athens, Greece.
The meeting was organised by the UNEP/MAP Secretariat. The event brought together representatives from beneficiary countries (Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia), the European Union — notably the Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV) of the European Commission and the Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf (DG MENA) — as well as SPA/RAC and the UNEP/MAP Coordinating Unit.
Participants reviewed progress made and validated the work plan and budget for the coming year.
Final stretch
The next and final phase of the project will focus on accelerating the implementation of national and regional activities in beneficiary countries, including:
- the development of a management plan for the Ashtoum El Gamil marine and coastal protected area (Egypt), as well as for three MCPAs currently under designation: Bsis Island (Libya), Cap des Trois Fourches (Morocco) and the Kneiss Islands (Tunisia)
- the organisation of national training sessions on management effectiveness for MCPAs and Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMIs), using the IMET tool
- the organisation of the Mediterranean MPA Forum in December 2026
An ad hoc online Steering Committee meeting will be held between September and October 2026 to discuss a possible no-cost extension of the project, with a view to ensuring the full implementation of national activities.
