The 5th Steering Committee Meeting for the preparation of the ROPME Strategic Plan was held virtually on 18 October 2023. The meeting was chaired by the representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain, with participants including representatives from the Member States and CEFAS.
The Committee continued discussions on the Operational Plan, with a visual presentation provided on its main contents.
The Technical Programs were reviewed, including the Climate Change Programme, Marine Biodiversity Programme, Eutrophication Programme, Sand and Dust Storms Programme, Pollution Programme, Marine Incidents Monitoring & Response Programme, and Special Projects.
The Environmental Awareness Programme was also discussed, covering initiatives such as the Environmental Excellence Achievement Prize, public awareness activities including the Annual Regional Environment Day/Week, workshops and seminars, the ROPME Bi-annual Conference, and media and public outreach.
Additionally, the Committee reviewed the Capacity Building Program, which includes a regional expertise survey and database, ROPME training programs, and the ROPME Professional Training Academy. It was agreed that the programs and projects listed in the Strategy Document should include a brief description, while detailed descriptions would be prepared later in separate, standalone project documents for approvals and annual budgeting.
