The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden,

P.O. Box 53662 Jeddah 21583, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

TEL: + 966 2 6573224 EXT. 216 Fax: + 966 2 6521901

One of the major goals of the Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden – a project executed by the Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden (PERSGA) and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) – is the establishment of a regional, representative network of marine protected areas (MPA). The process will lead, not only to the establishment of MPAs, but also to the assurance of sound mechanisms for their management and sustainability. Capacity building, regional networking, information exchange and commitment building are high priorities on the SAP’s agenda as important tools to augment other arrangements in the establishment process. This presentation provides an outline of the different activities that are envisaged to bring about the establishment of a marine protected areas network in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden Region.