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Outputs • An action plan for WERENGO and reports from three training sessions
• Evaluation report from the pilot small grants program and individual reports from
training sessions • Management planning initiated for three urban wetlands
• Targeted communications actions in wetland peripheral communities
3.3 Public-Private Partnerships
Background The Western Region has a wide diversity of private sector stakeholders with whom the ICFG
Program could catalyze public-private sector initiatives either with the Program itself, or with Program partners, and civil society groups. Initially, the Program has identified two private
sector stakeholder groups that it will seek to engage and catalyze partnerships over time—1 the tourism operators and; 2 the oil and gas industry. Each of these groups has a vested interest in
coastal zone management and governance and has an interest in the restoration andor maintenance of the fisheries sector.
Objectives
• Identify and engage private companies from sectors relative to the Program objectives • Identify and plan public-private sector partnerships and activities for subsequent years
3.3.1 Tourism
In the Western Region, there exists an association of coastal tourism operators that was catalyzed by the SNV the Netherlands Development Organization. The SNV provides ongoing technical
support only and thus many of the activities envisioned by the association have yet to be initiated. It is hoped that the tourism operators can be engaged in joint efforts for coastal zone
management and conservation of critical habitats and species activities that could include mangrove restoration, estuary and beach clean-up, sea turtle nesting site monitoring, ecotourism
training for personnel, community projects. The ICFG program will participate in the association meetings and determine the kinds of public-private sector activities that could be
supported in years 2 to 4. The Program also plans to provide these operators with training on “best practices” for coastal tourism development.
3.3.2 Oil and Gas
Given the present climate around the oil and gas issue in the Western Region, and the fact that the government and local governments are still uncertain on the roles they will play and benefits
they should be entitled to including traditional governance—the chiefs, this is an extremely sensitive topic. As such, the ICFG Program needs to take caution to ensure it is not pre-judged as
having a “stand” on the industry and to ensure it maintains an image of a Program that focuses on fisheries and coastal zone governance. That being said, oil and gas development is also a
subject that can not be avoided. The ICFG Program is positioned to play a role in facilitating
30 information exchange and providing training and educational programs to targeted individuals—
assisting them in engaging the oil and gas industry to seek transparency and “win-win” scenarios. To this end, the ICFG Program will train members of WERENGO in strategies for
engaging the oil and gas industry, in advocacy, and in how to serve as an honest broker relative to communication and conflict mediation with local communities. The Program also envisions
sending three to four key decision makers from the region from both the government and traditional governance structures on a study trip to the Gulf Coast of the United States, and
possibly one other country, to observe “best practices” and to learn about engaging the oil and gas sector. Finally, the Program will make contacts with the oil and gas companies present in the
Western Region in order to: 1 share information about the Program; 2 express the Program team’s willingness to facilitate dialogue with regional stakeholders; and 3 to provide an
orientation on how to best implement the required mitigation measures outlined in the Environmental and Social Impact Studies and as part of their planned corporate social
responsibility investments. Timeline of Tasks
Task Q2
Q3 Q4
3.3.1 Tourism Workshop with tourism alliance and action plan
January Training program for tourism operators on “best
practices” for coastal and beach tourism infrastructures
May
Identification of fish processing and trading companies implication in value chain study
February 3.3.2 Oil and Gas
Presentations to oil and gas sector companies February
Study trip for key decision makers and other influential individuals
March Contact made at all levels local, national,
international with oil and gas actors present in the Western Region
January
Post-study tour training of WERENGO and other stakeholders study tour participants
April
Outputs • Reports from the two training sessions that include follow-up recommendations
• A strategic plan for engaging the private sector in the ICFG Program for Years 2 to 4
3.4 Initial Communications Program
