The MSPglobal National Training in South Africa, co-funded by the European Union and the Government of Sweden took place from 17 to 18 July 2025 at the conference hall of the Paradise Valley Nature Reserve in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal Province. The two-day training was co-organized by the Department of Forestry, Fishery and Environment (DFFE) – Oceans and Coasts of South Africa and the UNESCO-IOC. It gathered diverse participants from various institutions, including national and provincial sector departments, as well as NGO’s within the marine space, who actively participated in the training.
South Africa seeks to increase marine spatial planning (MSP) capacities to build strong pillars with respect to several MSP-related initiatives implemented in the country, such as the project Integrated Oceans and Coastal Planning in South Africa carried out in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. This MSPglobal training was underlined by DFFE, the MSPglobal National Focal Point, as an opportunity for communities to benefit from a more sustainable approach to South African coastal and marine resource management in the face of climate and anthropogenic threats.
The training addressed the six MSP phases defined by the MSPglobal Guide, including sessions on the inclusive and participatory approach of MSP, data for MSP, Sustainable Blue Economy, and marine protection. In addition, the MSP Challenge board game was played as an essential hands-on part of the training, to teach the complex relations between marine-related activities and ecosystem-based MSP. For the hands-on activities, participants were asked to develop an MSP strategy for fictitious countries before mapping existing and future conditions, and proceeding to spatial integration and analysis of challenges.
The MSPglobal National Training event marked the foundation for upcoming MSPglobal activities in the country, including National Workshops for the co-development of a national Action Plan for MSP.
DOCUMENTS:
- Introduction to MSP
- How to set the scene and design the MSP process
- An inclusive and participatory approach for MSP
- Data and assessments for MSP
- MSP & Sustainable Blue Economy
- MSP & Marine Protection and Restoration
CONTACT:
MSPglobal.comm@unesco.org
