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NAIROBI CONVENTION CLEARINGHOUSE AND
INFORMATION SHARING SYSTEM
E-NEWSLETTER
ENHANCING SHARING, EXCHANGE AND ACCESS TO INFORMATION
September– December 2007 Volume 1, Issue 1
The Mauritius regional training workshop
F
ollowing the May 2006 regional stakeholders
workshop on the implementation of the
Nairobi Convention Clearinghouse and information
sharing system, a review meeting of the
clearinghouse was held in Mauritius from 13‐17
August 2007. The review was held during a subregional
training workshop on GIS concepts
necessary for development of the Clearinghouse
mechanism and information system. The training
was directed at participants from national public
administration and technical agencies participating
in the development of the Clearinghouse mechanism
in Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar,
Comoros, Mauritius, South Africa and Seychelles.
The workshop was graciously opened by the Secretary to
the Cabinet and Head of the Mauritius Civil Service Mr. S.
C. Seeballuck. In his speech, Mr. Seeballuck asked the
participants to begin to
Inside this issue:
• Mauritius Workshop 1
strategize on the long term
sustainability of the Nairobi
Convention Clearinghouse
• Way forward after the 2
and Information systems at
Mauritius Workshop
the national level. He
• Milestones of the 2
Clearinghouse Mechanism
further posed very critical
questions on the way
• Nairobi Convention 3 forward for the
COP5 Decisions and
Ministerial Declaration Clearinghouse, which
constituted the basis of the
• Launch of the
4
Clearinghouse
review (see story on the
outcome and way forward
5
of the Mauritius training).
• Data organization in the
database
• Upcoming Events 6
Mr. Seeballuck was accompanied by among others senior
representatives of the Government
of Mauritius, UNDP Country Office,
the Indian Ocean Commission, the
University of Mauritius the Director
of the Mauritius Oceanography
Institute Mr. M. Bhikajee, and the
Nairobi Convention Focal Point in
Mauritius Mr. J. Seewoobaduth. He
was welcomed by the Director of
the Mauritius Meteorological
Services, Mr. Y. Boodhoo and the
national coordinator of the Nairobi
Convention Clearinghouse mechanism in Mauritius Mr.
M. Beebeejaun.
Opening speech by Mr.
Seeballuck, Secretary to the
Cabinet and Head of Mauritius
Civil Service
A group photograph of the participants in the Mauritius
workshop, 13-17 August 2007
The training aimed at enhancing the capacity and
technology transfer efforts of the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) necessary for the
support, cooperation, coordination, access and sharing
of environmental data amongst the developing countries

……. GIS concepts and Portal development
in Africa. The training was held at the Regional
Meteorological and Research Centre located at the
Mauritius Meteorological Services in Vacaos.
In his address, UNEP representative Mr. Mwangi Theuri,
highlighted the key benefits of the clearinghouse and
information system. He pointed out that the
Clearinghouse will enable access to relevant coastal and
marine environmental issues, enable identification of
priority areas of action, raise awareness on key
environmental issues, enhance visibility of the Western
Indian Ocean region, and increase collaboration among
partners and stakeholders.
The Nairobi Convention Clearinghouse is destined to be a
sustainable first port of call for information on the coastal
and marine environment in the Western Indian Ocean
region, providing accurate and relevant data and
information for improved management and protection of
the coastal and marine environment in the Region. The
Clearinghouse responds to Decision 4/8 (July 2004) of the
Nairobi Convention fourth Conference of Parties.
Under Decision 4/8, Governments of the region
recognized that access to, and use of the increasing
diverse, comprehensive data and information on the
coastal and marine environment is crucial in order to deal
with the vast array of policy, management, scientific and
other practical issues of sustainable development. The
Parties tasked the Convention Secretariat with the
establishment of an information system to meet the
needs of the Governments in implementing the work
programme of the Convention.
Based on the individual responses at the end of the training,
participants resolved to develop their national coastal and
marine clearinghouse nodes, publicize the clearinghouse
benefits, and articulate the technical and functional
capabilities of the clearinghouse network. Further, they
agreed to use the technology of the GeoPortal Toolkit in order
Implementation of the Nairobi Convention
Clearinghouse: Milestones
UNEP, through its Division of Early Warning and Assessment
(DEWA) with support and collaboration from the UNEP/GEF
WIOLaB project (Addressing Land‐based Activities in the
Western Indian Ocean), the Nairobi Convention Secretariat
and participating national institutions is implementing
environmental clearinghouses for Seychelles, Mauritius,
Comoros and Madagascar, including the coastal and marine
region of the mainland countries of Kenya, Tanzania,
Mozambique and South Africa.
Each national clearinghouse will be customized to enable
geospatial analysis, statistical analysis, geo‐feature modeling
(3D), data conversion to and from various formats, projection
and coordinate transformation, viewing or visualizing,
specialized data processing (for remote sensing, GPS, etc.),
data acquisition and maintaining. The national clearinghouses
will also act as national nodes for the Global Programme of
Action for the protection of the marine environment from
land based source of pollution (UNEP/GPA programme) in the
Eastern and Southern Africa region.
Way forward after the Mauritius training
As well stated in his speech during the opening of the one
week training workshop on the development of the Nairobi
Convention Clearinghouse mechanism (August 2007), the
Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Mauritius Civil
Service Mr. S. C. Seeballuck challenged the participants to
endeavor to meet the needs of a wide cross‐ section of
people, while developing the Clearinghouse among them
politicians, administrators, planners, resource managers,
scientists and the general public. In so doing, he said, this
would effectively translate into a better understanding of the
outputs of the clearinghouse mechanism by all key players in
the Government and the private sector.
As a first step towards addressing these concerns Mr.
Seeballuck tasked the countries with four major concerns
focusing on streamlining the technological development of the
clearinghouse mechanism, strategies for improved
cooperation and coordination with stakeholders and partners,
the question of facilitating an enabling environment for
integration of data through the optimal use of international
metadata standards, and strategies required to achieve
national and regional ownership of the Clearinghouse.
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The Madagascar Working Group during the Clearinghouse
Mechanism planning meeting in Antananarivo
In line with many ongoing projects in the Western Indian
Ocean region, activities are implemented on a cost‐sharing
basis, i.e. the collaborating agency provides the project with
infrastructure and human resources, while UNEP and Partners
arranges for the purchase of equipment and software support,
training, a budget to accommodate project implementation,
and overall project guidance.
Scooping missions in several countries were carried out in the
months of May and June 2007 to ascertain the existing
technologies and ICT infrastructure in participating institutions
and agree upon national level activities. Memoranda of
understanding have been negotiated with the countries for
implementation of national level activities.

On another development, the Nairobi Convention
Clearinghouse and information sharing system was launched
during the 5th Conference of Parties of the Convention held
in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 7th and 8th November
2007.
The Clearinghouse mechanism provides a shared–service
platform of accessing resources while being responsive to
users needs. It marks a drastic change from operating largely
in isolation or in limited bilateral partnerships to one where
Key Decisions of the 5th Conference of Contracting
Parties to the Nairobi Convention
Volume 1, Issue 1
• Decision CP5/6 on strengthening partnerships and
institutional mechanism including the strengthening of the
Nairobi Convention Regional Coordinating Unit based in
Seychelles;
• Decision CP5/7 on Small Island Developing States
adaptation to climate change including of risks of cyclones
and sea level rise;
• Decision CP5/8 on support to Somalia in her efforts to
improve environmental management; and
• Decision CP5/9 urging Contracting parties to enhance the
financial sustainability of the Convention.
A joint Conference of Parties for the Abidjan Convention and
the Nairobi Convention was held in Johannesburg, South
Africa from 5–8 November 2007 to deliberate, discuss and
map the way forward for the two Conventions.
Firstly, in the Nairobi Convention Conference of Parties,
ministers and heads of delegation acknowledged a number of
important milestones carried out under the Convention. They
acknowledged among others the:
a. Importance of the Nairobi Convention, its protocols and
its Action Plan as essential instruments for the promotion
of sustainable development in the Region and the need
for their continuous review within the global context;
b. Progress made in the implementation of the UNEP/GEF
Project “Addressing Land‐based Activities in the Western
Indian Ocean (WIOLAB)”, including its key outputs;
c. Establishment of the Nairobi Convention Clearinghouse
and Information sharing system to enhance sharing,
exchange and access to data and information;
d. The important contributions of UNEP, UNIDO, IMO,
UNDP, FAO, UNESCO and World Bank as the executing
agencies of various marine ecosystem projects; and
e. The contribution and work of other partners, including
the IUCN, WWF, Western Indian Ocean Marine Sciences
Association (WIOMSA), Wildlife Conservation Society
(WCS) and the Consortium for Conservation of Coastal
and Marine Ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean
(WIO‐C);
Secondly, the ministers and heads of delegation representing
their Governments made the following key decisions:
• Decision CP5/1 on the new Work Programme of the
Nairobi Convention for the 2008‐2011 period focusing on,
assessments, management, coordination, legal aspects,
information sharing, raising awareness and cooperation
with partners;
• DecisionCP5/2 focusing on protection of ecosystems and
endangered species by endorsing the use of ecosystem
based management approach;
• Decision CP5/3 on assessment and monitoring activities
regarding projects and programmes with transboundary
effects;
• Decision CP5/4 directed towards enhancing the revision
of Nairobi Convention and its related protocols
A section of participants during the joint Conference of
Contracting Parties to the Abidjan and Nairobi Conventions,
Johannesburg, South Africa, 5-8 November 2007
Abidjan Convention and Nairobi Convention
Joint Ministerial Declaration
On 8 November 2007, during the joint Conference of Parties of
the Abidjan and Nairobi Conventions, a joint ministerial
declaration was made by Government ministers on 12 priority
areas:
1. To fully implement the Abidjan Convention and Nairobi
Convention and their protocols;
2. To strengthen and build upon existing national and
regional institutions and frameworks for the
implementation of national and regional strategies;
3. To undertake strategic and other environmental
assessments of activities that may have adverse impact on
the coastal and marine environment;
4. To undertake strategic environmental assessments prior
to exploitation and production of hydrocarbons;
5. To raise awareness at the highest political level of the
importance of the implementation of Article 76 of the
1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea;
6. To develop programmes anchored in the large marine
ecosystems programmes and their evolving commissions;
7. To promote cooperative and collaborative actions with
multi stakeholder partnerships to integrate marine and
coastal environment activities;
8. To take appropriate measures to prevent, abate, combat
and to the fullest possible extent mitigate coastal and
marine pollution;
9. To encourage states sharing river basins with the
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espective Convention countries to accede or
participate in the Conventions;
10. To strengthen the financial sustainability of the
Conventions;
11. To explore the possibilities of joint programming and
holding meetings or conferences of the Parties of the
Abidjan Convention and the Nairobi Convention
together so as to strengthen regional capacity to
manage shared marine and coastal resources in sub‐
Saharan Africa; and
12. Urged national and international institutions, the
private sector, bilateral donors and multilateral
funding agencies to support the implementation of
the two Conventions
Launch of the Nairobi Convention
Clearinghouse: Verbatim speech by the Minister
of Environment of the Comoros
DISCOURS DU LANCEMENT DU CENTRE D’ECHANGE DE
DONNEES ET D’INFORMATIONS POUR LA CONVENTION DE
NAIROBI
Monsieur l’Ambassadeur de France
Monsieur l’Ambassadeur de Seychelles
Monsieur le secrétaire permanent de Kenya
Monsieur le Directeur Général de Sud Afrique
Monsieur le Directeur Général de Mozambique
Messieurs les chefs de délégués de Tanzanie, Maurice et
Madagascar
Honorables invités,
Mesdames, Messieurs,
ASSALAME ANLAYKOUM
La Décision 4/8 de juillet 2004 de la Quatrième conférence
des parties contractantes COP de la convention de Nairobi
a confié au secrétariat de la Convention la tache de la mise
en place d’un système d’information qui facilitera la pleine
participation des pays de l’océan indien occidental en
permettant à ces derniers de bénéficier des activités
nationales et transfrontalieres, techniques
environnementales, juridiques et politiques primordiales
pour le développement durable de leur environnement
marin et côtier. En se basant sur cette décision, le projet
WIO‐LaB, soutenu par la Division d’Alerte rapide et
Evaluation du PNUE (PNUE/DEWA) s’est engagé à
accomplir cette tache en transformant le système de
transformation en ligne existant de la Convention de
Nairobi en un Centre d’échange de données et
d’informations. Ce dernier servira en même temps de
Centre régional d’échange de données et d’information du
Plan d’Action Mondial (PAM).
A travers la Division d’Alerte rapide et Evaluation du PNUE
(PNUE/DEWA) et le projet UNEP/GEF WIO‐LaB intitulé «
Atténuation de l’impact néfaste des activités terrestres sur
l’environnement marin et côtier de l’Océan Indien
occidental, l’UNEP appuie la mise en oeuvre du Centre
d’échange d’information dans les pays de la région
notamment : Seychelles, Maurice, Comores, Madagascar,
Kenya, Tanzanie, Mozambique et Afrique du Sud.
Le Centre d’échange d’information (CHM) servira en tant
que source première d’informations durable sur
l’environnement marin et côtier dans la région de l’océan indien
occidental. Il constituera une plate forme de données et
d’informations pertinentes et fiables y compris des données
géospatiales, socioéconomiques, océanographiques et
biophysiques. Le système appuiera également la collecte de
données et d’informations pertinentes à partir des centres
nationaux. Il assurera un accès rapide et comprendra un moteur
de recherche. Le Centre d’Echange d’Information permettra
aussi de développer un environnement favorable aux
évaluations et comprendra un forum de discussion pertinent
pour tous les acteurs.
La mise en place d’un Centre d’Echange de données dans mon
pays, permet à mon ministère de disposer d’un outil efficace qui
contribue à l’amélioration des connaissances scientifiques
approfondies en vue de promouvoir une politique de gestion
durable de notre environnement dont mon pays a pleinement
besoin en particulier et la région en générale. Il aura pour rôle
de faciliter l'accès aux données et à l'information
environnementales pour une planification stratégique et une
prise de décision appropriée pour les acteurs de développement
durable.
La mise en place d’un Centre d’échange de données dans le
cadre de la Convention de Nairobi, nous permettra d’organiser
l’information et de la rechercher de manière optimale en cas de
besoin. Retrouver les renseignements voulus au moment voulu
pose souvent d’énormes difficultés et parfois l’existence même
d’une donnée est ignorée faute
de l’avoir bien classifiée et de
pouvoir la rechercher de manière
optimale. Le CHM de la
Convention de Nairobi est là pour
répondre à ce genre de problème
toute en nous permettant aussi
de valoriser l’information en
obtenant de produits à valeur
ajoutée (analyses, calculs,
Hon. Mme Siti Kassim, Minister of
Agriculture, Fisheries and
Environment of Comoros. She
launched the Nairobi Convention
Clearinghouse mechanism during
the Nairobi Convention COP5
Conference in Johannesburg,
Page 4
références).
Les décideurs politiques, les
administrateurs, les scientifiques,
les chercheurs, les universitaires,
les étudiants, les consultants
nationaux et internationaux, les
ONGs et le public…etc., sont
identifiés comme les utilisateurs potentiels du Centre d’échange
d’information. En effet, en plus d’être un excellent outil pour des
professionnels de la gestion de l’information environnemental,
le Centre d’échange vise aussi à mettre l’accent sur la protection
et l’utilisation rationnelles des ressources naturelles. De plus, il
servira à informer et à éduquer le public, tout en le sensibilisant
aux multiples questions qui ont besoin d’être résolues.
Le Centre d’échange d’information aura parmi ses objectifs
majeurs, le souci de répondre aux besoins exprimés par les
différents programmes d’action nationaux en matière
d’environnement en insistant sur la nécessité d’une bonne
gestion de l’information environnementale en vue de créer des
meilleures conditions d’un développement du potentiel
scientifique et de la connaissance du milieu dans une optique de
gestion et de développement durable. Il sera un des acteurs
principaux de l’inventaire de la diversité biologique, des

essources naturelles et de la connaissance du milieu dans mon
pays.
Les objectifs principaux du Centre d’Echange d’information
passent aussi par la mise en place d’outils modernes permettant
à mon ministère d’élaborer ses schémas d’action en matière
d’environnement et d’avoir une aide précieuse pour ses diverses
prises de décisions. Un autre but important sera la pérennisation
des différents projets et actions du ministère en apportant une
plus grande visibilité et une meilleure gestion de leurs résultats.
Il convient de noter ici, que l’importance capitale de cet outil a
permis à mon ministère de persuader le gouvernement à donner
son aval sur l’intérêt de créer un département du Système
d’Information Géographique (SIG) chargé de la gestion du Centre
d’Echange (CHM).
A savoir que ce dernier servira non seulement à la collecte à
l’analyse et au traitement de données, mais aussi de promotion
et de valorisation de notre patrimoine culturel et sa valeur
touristique au niveau national et régional. Je ne saurai terminer
mon propos sans présenter mes vifs remerciements au
gouvernement sud africain pour l’accueil combien chaleureux il
nous a réservé et pour avoir bien voulu abriter ces présentes
conférences des parties. Je voudrais également remercier
l’ensemble de l’équipe du projet WIO‐LaB, la Division d’Alerte
rapide et Evaluation du PNUE (PNUE/DEWA), pour son
engagement considérable quant à la mise en place du Centre
d’échange d’information de la Convention de Nairobi.
Mes remerciements vont plus particulièrement à l’endroit de
Monsieur Theuri Mwangi pour son engagement technique depuis
le projet EAF/14 (Base de données et Atlas des ressources
côtières et marines), jusqu’à la mise en place du Centre
d’échange d’information de la Convention de Nairobi dans mon
pays. Vive la coopération des pays du sud ouest de l’Océan
Indien et de l’Afrique de l’Est et du Sud saharien.
Data organization in the Clearinghouse
Mechanism database: Techbyte
The Nairobi Convention Clearinghouse and information sharing
system is driven by an Structure Query Language database which
contains a series of related tables storing metadata with full text
search capability, channels, harvesting, services and users. The
Clearinghouse has the capabilities of offering metadata records,
geospatial mapping, and data management. With additional
customization the clearinghouse can offer data analysis leading
to assessment and environmental alerts.
The spatial data is stored in an enterprise Spatial Database
Engine geodatabase (SDE) which has been categorized by spatial
coverage ranging from sub‐national, national, sub‐regional and
regional data or metadata. Regional data ranges from Wetland
areas, vegetation cover, ecological zones, ocean currents, etc.
National data and sub‐national data is stored preceded by
country ISO (International Standards Organization) code. For
example, Tanzania data will appear as TZ_Provinces, TZ_Rivers,
TZ_Unguja dolphins, etc. Downloadable data in the
clearinghouse is stored as zip files in a Web Accessible Folder
(WAF), with links icons provided in the metadata records .
The online map viewer is based on Web Map Services (WMS)
that provide links to ‘live’ data and maps running on Internet
Map Server that connects to a Spatial Database Engine
database. This advanced clearinghouse architecture is
based on international standards from various
organizations, i.e. Open GIS Consortiums (OGC),
International Standards Organization (ISO), Organization for
the Advancement of Structured Information Standards
(OASIS), World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) which assure
its interoperability, and orientation toward implementing
standards‐complying web services. The web solution
(Internet portals and services) allows for multi‐access of
data at a local level, with the capabilities of data
visualization, integration, verification, and modification.
The online map viewer allows the user to connect to other
existing global or regional clearinghouse services that are
inter‐operable formats and protocols such as Web Map
Service, Web Feature Service, Web Coverage Service, Web
Map Context, OpenGIS Location Service among others.
The clearinghouse uses the GeoPortal technology from
Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI). The
Geoportal is a combined technology and services solution
for implementing local, regional, national, and global spatial
data infrastructure (SDI) portals. The ESRI GIS Portal Toolkit
provides all the necessary elements of a successful GIS
Portal through its framework, map viewer, administration,
publishing, and harvesting modules.
Lead National Institutions implementing the
Nairobi Convention Clearinghouse
SEYCHELLES
Lead institution: Pollution control and Environmental
Impacts, Department of Environment, Ministry of
Environment and Natural Resources
National Coordinator: Mr. Justin prosper
MOZAMBIQUE
Lead institution: Instituto Nacional de Hidrografiae
Navegaçao (INAHINA)
National Coordinator:Ms. Ana Maria Alfredo
MAURITIUS
Lead institution: Mauritius Meteorological Services (MMS)
National Coordinator: Mr. Mohamadally Beebeejaun
MADAGASCAR
Lead institution: Office National pour l’Environnement
(O.N.E)
National Coordinator:Mr. Jean Roger Rakotoarijaona
COMOROS
Lead institution: Ministere de l’Agriculture, de la Pêche, et
de l’Environnement (MAPE)
National Coordinator: Mr. Farid Anasse
TANZANIA
Lead institution: Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS)
National Coordinator: Dr Desiderius CP MASALU
KENYA
Lead institution: Kenya Kenya Marine and Fisheries
Research Institute (KMFRI)
National Coordinator: Mr. Harrison Onganda
SOUTH AFRICA
Lead institution: Department of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism (DEAT)
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Upcoming Events
• 26th November – 5th December 2007: Regional training
Workshop on the Nairobi Convention Clearinghouse
and Information Sharing System portal development
and Data Population, Nairobi, Kenya.,
The Nairobi Convention Region.
Can you identify the countries?
The four-monthly e-newsletter of the Nairobi Convention
Clearinghouse and Information Sharing system aims at informing
stakeholders, national working groups, partners and all
interested persons on the status of the clearinghouse activities.
Readers are encouraged to give comments on the newsletter
and its effectiveness as a vehicle for information exchange. All
communication should be directed to e-mail:
dim.head@unep.org or mwangit@unep.org
The contents of this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the
views or policies of UNEP.
Diagrammatic impression of the Nairobi Convention
regional Clearinghouse network
Contact Information:
Nairobi Convention Clearinghouse and Information Sharing System
Division of Early Warning and Assessment
United Nations Environment Programme.
P.O. Box 30552 Nairobi, Kenya
Phone: +254 20 762 4214/ 2020
Fax: +254 20 762 4315
E-mail: dim.head@unep.org,
mwangit@unep.org
Website: http://gridnairobi.unep.org/CHMPortal
The Project staff of the Nairobi Convention Clearinghouse and
information system within UNEP would like to thank the director of
the national lead collaborating agencies, the national coordinators and
their working groups, partners and all well wishers for the success of
the Clearinghouse this far. Your encouragement and support soothes
our hearts
As we approach the end of the year 2007, may you fully celebrate its
successes and welcome Year 2008 with great determination, focus and
renewed strength
Remember:
Your most unhappy customers are your greatest
source of learning (Bill Gates)
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