The Abidjan Convention, is a pivotal regional agreement adopted in 1981 under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). From Mauritania in the north to South Africa in the south, the Convention provides a framework for cooperation among member states to address critical challenges such as marine pollution, habitat degradation, and the impacts of climate change.

Funded by UNEP, the IOI-SA was appointed as implementor of a project to strengthen capacity to implement ocean governance tools, working at regional (Abidjan Convention region) and national level with Sierra Leone and São Tomé and Príncipe as pilot countries for the project. This project was undertaken in partnership with the Abidjan Convention Secretariate.