The islands of Kuriat, Galite, Kneiss, Zembra and Zembretta in Tunisia will receive more resources to conserve marine protected areas over the next five years. To achieve this, they recently received funding of 900,000 euros, the equivalent of more than 2.8 million Tunisian dinars. The funds were granted on April 1, 2020 by MedFund, a private institution that provides sustainable financing for the conservation of marine biodiversity. “The support is intended for local civil society organizations and national agencies responsible for protected areas. It will provide a sustainable investment in the core activities and effective management of marine protected areas in order to preserve marine ecosystems and the people who depend on them,” said MedFund.
Tunisia’s marine ecosystem is threatened due to pollution caused by maritime transport and uncontrolled intensive fishing in the country’s waters.
Other MedFund projects
The MedFund also said a call for expressions of interest will be launched in June 2020 to support other protected areas in the Mediterranean. In fact, the MedFund Environmental Fund, established in 2015, is dedicated to protected areas in the Mediterranean. It receives financial support from the Government of Monaco, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the French Global Environment Facility (FGEF) and the French Development Agency (AFD).
Inès Magoum