Fisheries - PAF

What's on this page?

On this page you can find out more about the Partnership for African Fisheries (PAF's) vision and aims, as well as  the work done so far.

What is PAF?

PAF is the Partnership for African Fisheries. PAF works to improve the sustainability of Africa's fisheries and improve the returns provided by this sector.  PAF will support and help implement earlier African fisheries instruments targeting reform. These include the Abuja Declaration (NEPAD, 2005); the NEPAD Action Plan (2005); and the regional economic integration policies of the RECs such as the SADC Protocol on Fisheries (2001). PAF will be incorporated into CAADP.

PAF's Vision

The Partnership for African Fisheries is committed to a vision in which fish contribute significantly to African prosperity and growth.

PAF's aims

The Partnership for African Fisheries (PAF) -  aims to support an emerging political cadre in defining processes that will strengthening Africa’s capacity to consider, determine and implement responsive reforms in fisheries governance and trade. Reforms are needed not only to ensure these benefits are sustained, but also to generate and sustain wealth from fisheries.

PAF Activities

• PAF aims to aid growth in the fisheries sector. To achieve this PAF promotes a Think-Tank approach to encourage transparent and home-grown advice for the sector.
• Working groups which have been established in 5 key policy areas encouraging the exchange of ideas and proven solutions in
  • Good governance
  • Illegal fishing
  • Trade and Access to markets
  • Aquaculture
  • Finance & Investment in Fisheries & Aquaculture
  • The working groups draw on experience from:
    • Fishing communities
    • Industry
    • Government
    • Educational institutions
    • Technical experts.

What progress has been made so far?

Comprehensive African Fisheries Reform Strategy - Through the Think Tank Unit, PAF is partnering the World Bank’s PROFISH under what is called the “Currents of Change” program of work, to define the Comprehensive African Fisheries Reform Strategy (CAFRS). This program, concurrent with the World Bank’s, has four stages of work which have been consolidated into a World Bank publication providing guidance on future fisheries reform and investment. 

COMESA: A list of priority countries was agreed upon as: Malawi, Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya and Burundi; Seychelles, Zambia, DRC, Swaziland, Djibouti, Madagascar, and Comoros. Initially, PAF will focus on Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Seychelles and Comoros.

SADC: a list of priority countries has been agreed as: in addition to those members of COMESA who are also in SADC (Zambia, Malawi, and Seychelles), we will also support Mozambique and Tanzania.

ECOWAS: a list has been agreed upon as: Benin, Togo, Guinea Conakry, Senegal, and Niger. These countries will be in addition to the on-going work in Ghana and Sierra Leone.

ECCAS: the on-going work in the Central African region under COREP will continue until the end of 2012. A limited number of countries will be supported with their post-compact interventions once ECCAS finalises the CAADP process. These will include some of the seven coastal states which have been involved in the COREP work (Cameroon, Gabon, Sao Tome & Principe and Chad).

Who is leading the Programme?

Dr. Sloans Chimatiro sloansc@nepad.org

Tel: +27 (0)11 256 3606