The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) project “Enhancing early warning systems for supporting resilience in Africa: Safeguarding ocean and human health” is leveraging the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO's (IOC) expertise and global networks to build capacity in response to Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB)-related threats. It aims to assist the Member States of IOC in establishing standardized systems for ocean observations, data management, early warning, and community notification. The project is intended to result in the creation of sustained systems beyond the project’s lifespan, build interoperability with current national monitoring and disaster preparedness strategies, and contribute to achieving healthier and more resilient coastal communities in Africa. 

To facilitate the identification of potential partnerships with African countries for building skills and capacity in ocean observations, ocean data management and the building of HAB early warning systems that integrate environmental correlates, the project team are assisting IOCAFRICA in assessing the current state of national capacity for building and deploying such early warning systems.

Survey

This survey and the questions contained within are designed to assess the existing national capacity for:

1. Awareness of HAB events and their impacts
2. Observing and monitoring frameworks for the Global Ocean Observation System's (GOOS) Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs) for phytoplankton and oxygen and for monitoring of HABs (including biotoxins)
3. Data management of observations and monitoring data
4. Capacity and infrastructure for supporting early warning systems

The survey is divided into [SJ1] sections corresponding to the elements described above. In completing the survey, Member States are encouraged to collaborate with and utilize the most reliable and authoritative sources in their countries, including national regulating agencies, ocean science institutions, national data coordinators and data agencies that are part of the IODE community. It is recognised that those agencies that might have oversight of ocean observation programs may differ from those that have oversight of HAB monitoring and alert systems and there may be broader engagement by academic institutions in research and associated data collection on phytoplankton, HABs and oxygen.

To assist in facilitating survey responses from multiple agencies within a country, copies of the survey can be completed separately. In these cases, the project team at IOC will compile information collected for each country. Where multiple agencies and individuals have contributed to the one survey response, please provide the details of all contributors in the survey submission so that they can be made aware of the outcomes of the survey, IOCAFRICA and IOC networks and potential further engagement in the project.

French translation in progress. Links to the only versions of the survey will be added to the document when languages are completed.