CFP for Strengthening stewardship through cooperation in an economically and biologically significant high seas area – the Sargasso Sea (Албания - Тендер #66898915)

The objective of this Call for Partnership is to ensure appropriate and high-quality scientific and technical support to the Sargasso Sea project and its Implementing partners (UNDP and IOC- UNESCO) in order to secure the primary outputs of the project.

The project is aligning its work (as identified in detail through the four project components - See Annex 1.) with the recently adopted Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (the BBNJ Agreement), which is expected to come into force sometime in 2026.The scientific and technical requirements for both the initial project work-plan and to meet the alignment with BBNJ Agreement demand detailed analytical work and close interaction with individual experts as well as globally recognised scientific institutions.

The partnership will also address the need to translate the scientific and technical findings of the SEDA and the conclusions from the EV&CBA (Ecosystem Valuation and Cost Benefit Analysis) into the SAP itself, including identifying the Ecosystem Quality Objectives and clarifying the requirements for longer term monitoring needs and associated partnerships and funding to support those needs. The SAP will then be presented to and negotiated with the appropriate stakeholders for formal adoption.

A significant part of the initial work for the development and drafting of the SEDA has been achieved through strong partnerships with various scientific and technical entities (individual or institutional). Consequently, the SEDA is now in a draft form but needs to be critically reviewed for content and accuracy, and then finalised. This will need to be undertaken through a formal review panel of qualified and experienced experts