A new initiative dedicated to the preservation of the coast and marine ecosystems has been officially launched in Tunisia. Entitled « Tunisia towards 30×30 », it is part of an international dynamic that aims to protect and sustainably manage at least 30% of land and maritime surfaces by 2030.
Initiated jointly by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN-Med) and the Centre d’activités régionales pour les areas especialles protégés (SPA/RAC), this project is carried out at the national level by the Tunisian Ministry of the Environment and by the Coastal Protection and Planning Agency (APAL).
With a duration of three and a half years, covering the period 2026-2029, the programme has several objectives. It is a matter of identifying and protecting areas of major biological and ecological interest, laying the foundations of future protected areas and, at the same time, optimizing the management of existing devices. Particular attention will also be paid to the integration of riparian populations and civil society organizations in conservation actions.
At present, the Tunisian marine territory enjoying official protection would represent less than 3% of its total area. This observation, considered insufficient by the project leaders, argues for an acceleration of safeguard measures. The initiative is also based on the National Strategy and the Biodiversity Action Plan (2018-2030), aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Framework.
In terms of already operational devices, Tunisia has 18 marine protected areas or management areas including a maritime component. Of these, 15 are classified under the Ramsar Convention, while three are labeled « Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance ». Several other sites are being created, namely the Kneiss Islands, the La Galite archipelago, the Kuriat Islands, the Zembra and Zembretta islets, the northern lots of Kerkennah and the Ras R’mel area.
In addition, the launch ceremony was an opportunity to announce the signing of a partnership agreement between SPA/RAC, IUCN Méditerranée and WWF North Africa. This text aims to strengthen cooperation between these institutions in favor of Tunisian marine biodiversity.
At the international level, remember that the so-called « 30×30 » objective is included in target 3 of the Global Framework for Biodiversity, adopted under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. The UN’s assessments highlight the need for accelerated efforts, both in terms of expanding protected areas and improving their level of management.
source : réalités
