Guinea nears completion of sign-up steps, affirming its commitment to implement the FiTI

Conakry, 17-27 January 2024. The FiTI International Secretariat recently participated in a series of meetings with stakeholders in the Republic of Guinea to support the country in finalising its FiTI application process and developing the first Action Plan of the Conseil National pour la Pêche, l’Aquaculture et l’Economie Maritime (CNPAEM), which assumes the functions of the FiTI National Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) of Guinea.

Since Guinea committed to the FiTI on November 28, 2022, the CNPAEM has worked to complete the process for Guinea to become a FiTI Candidate country. Now that that the country is approaching the final step in its application, the FiTI International Secretariat travelled to Guinea to continue supporting the CNPAEM through this process by training CNPAEM members on the FiTI Standard, supporting CNPAEM in drawing up its first work plan, and preparing the country’s FiTI application form.

To be recognised as a candidate by the FiTI, a country must work with its national MSG to complete six sign-up steps before submitting a formal application to the FiTI International Board. This begins with a public commitment to the FiTI, after which the country must create an enabling environment for stakeholder participation, designate a ministry and senior government official to lead implementation, establish a national MSG and authorise a FiTI Secretariat, and finally, publish a public workplan for implementation of the FiTI.

After a series of productive meetings, the visit produced the multi-year budget for Guinea’s FiTI National Secretariat (2024-2028), the CNPAEM two-year work plan for 2024 and 2025, and the Republic of Guinea’s FiTI membership application form.

The CNPAEM’s first work plan is rather unusual in that it includes activities unrelated to the FiTI process. This is because the CNPAEM is not solely dedicated for the FiTI; while they serve as the country’s National MSG, they also assume other activities for the country. In fact, in addition to transparency, the CNPAEM is required to formulate advisory opinions on all issues directly or indirectly affecting the fisheries sector before decisions are made by the Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Economy (MPEM). Encouragingly, professionals and civil society have already shown a commitment to contributing financially to the CNPAEM’s operations.

In addition to members of the CNPAEM and the FiTI National Secretariat, the mission also held discussions with senior MPEM officials, in the absence of the Minister on a mission outside the country. The mission met with Mr. Ibrahima Kalil GUEYE, MPEM Cabinet Director and FiTI National Lead of the country, in the presence of Dr. Mohamed Lamine CAMARA, Director General of MPEM’s Bureau de la Stratégie et du Développement (BSD).

For the debriefing meeting, the mission met with Mr. Amara Camara KABA, Secretary General (SG) of MPEM in the presence of Mr. Tafsir DIALLO, Legal Advisor of MPEM. “The Department’s commitment to pursuing efforts to complete the FiTI accession process is unwavering, and Ms Charlotte DAFFE, Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Economy is very committed to finalizing the steps for Guinea’s accession to the FiTI as soon as possible“, stated Mr KABA.

Now, the only obstacle to completing the country’s sign-up steps is the signing of the CNPAEM decree. The document has already been finalised by the MPEM and introduced into the legal act validation circuit of the government of the Republic of Guinea.

This mission is part of the activities entrusted to the Regional Partnership for Coastal and Marine Conservation in West Africa (PRCM) by the World Bank to support Guinea’s membership of the FiTI.