The ODINAFRICA Project Steering Committee meeting from 26–28 November 2012, at the National Marine Information and Research Centre in Swakopmund, Namibia reviewed the implementation status of the project and approved a work plan for 2013.

Review of Implementation Status
The products that had been identified for the current phase of ODINAFRICA includes Coastal and Marine Atlases, Catalogue of all the libraries participating in ODINAFRICA, repository of marine related publications from Africa, directory of marine experts and institutions from Africa, African Register of Marine Species, African Ocean Data portal and project websites through which people can access data and information. The following is the status and proposed actions for each of the products:

1. Coastal and Marine Atlases
2. Union Catalogue of Library Holdings of ODINAFRICA institutions and Repository of Marine Related publications from/about Africa.
3. African Register of Marine Species
4. Marine Mammals Programme
5. NODC and Project websites:
6. Publicity/Public Awareness:
7. The Ocean Data Portal

Project Management & Coordination.
The Steering Committee noted that following the establishment of the IOC Sub Commission for Africa and the Adjacent Island States by the 26th Session of the IOC Assembly, the coordination of IOC’s activities in Africa, including ODINAFRICA was transferred to the secretariat for the Sub Commission which is based at the UNESCO Regional Office in Nairobi, Kenya. The ODINAFRICA Project Manager was appointed as the IOC Coordinator in Africa effective from March 2012. The position is funded from the UNESCO Regular Programme budget. With the approval of the donor, the funds initially foreseen for the project manager position was re-allocated to strengthen the marine biodiversity component of the project by funding a Marine Mammals Survey in West Africa in collaboration with the Canary Current LME, as well as providing support to the Ocean Biogeographic System – OBIS so that they can better assist in the development of the African Register of Marine Species.

Work Plan for 2013.
The Steering Committee adopted a work plan for 2013, focusing on how each of the products will be finalized before the end of the project.
The highlight will be the ODINAFRICA Planning and Review meeting which will be hosted by the Instituto Nacional de Hidrografia e Navegação (INAHINA) in Maputo, Mozambique from 26 – 30 May 2013.

Tentatively the following events are planned during the occassion:
26 May 2013: visit to Inhaca Island
27 May 2013: ODINAFRICA Symposium and Exhibition
28-30 May 2013: ODINAFRICA Planning and Review meeting.

The detailed outline of the work plan are provide through each of the links below:

WORK PACKAGE I : NETWORKING, COORDINATION AND MANAGEMENT.
WORK-PACKAGE-2: STRENGTHENING OF NATIONAL MARINE DATA & INFORMATION MANAGEMENT CAPACITY.
WORK-PACKAGE-3: DEVELOPMENT OF PRODUCTS
WORK-PACKAGE-4: DISSEMINATION AND SHARING OF DATA, INFORMATION, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

BEYOND ODINAFRICA –IV
The Steering Committee explored possible directions for collaboration between the ODINAFRICA partners beyond the current phase of the project and highlighted the following:

1. Prediction, modeling and forecasts (lot of opportunity and potential). Downscaling global models?
2. Addressing the needs of users and developing products useful for end-users
3. Climate change related products (forecasts, predictions, scenario development …). Behaviour of ocean and its impact on climate. Adaptation Strategies?
4. Are NODC’s suited to work as forecast centres or should his be done by operational agencies?
5. Feedback on atlas and use this to develop other products
6. Improving linkages (bridging the gap) between scientists and users – currently there a number of mapping and spatial planning initiatives, poor usage.
7. Enrich atlas with local data sets, usable for spatial planning (MPAs, mangrove forests, mining locations, fishing grounds, rivers etc)
8. Formal ocean data/information exchange policy for Africa?
9. Sustainability of atlases and other products
10. Contribution to ICZM
11. Develop proposal for submission to AU, EU, GEF

It was agreed that the ODINAFRICA Regional Coordinators will lead discussions within the regions and summarise the global view from their regions and communicate these to the Project Manager. These will be utilized to progressively build the main pillars o for possible activities/collaboration beyond ODINAFRICA-IV. The results will be presented during the planning and review meeting in May 2013.