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Module 7.2 Africa Environment Outlook-2
1 Mandate

The Africa Environment Outlook (AEO) assessment was
initiated in 2000 by the African Ministerial Conference on the
Environment (AMCEN). The first report, AEO-1, was launched
9-12 December, 2013 it was acknowledged as a flagship assessment in Africa. It was
during the AMCEN 9 session in Kampala in July 2002, where
th

subsequently used as the primary background document in the
preparation of the NEPAD Environment Action Plan (NEPAD-

EAP), showing strong links between environmental assessment and
policy making. The 10th AMCEN session, in June 2004, reaffirmed
its endorsement of the AEO assessment as a valuable monitoring
and reporting tool for sustainable environmental management

and a framework for national, sub-regional and regional integrated
environmental assessment and reporting in Africa.

During the 22nd session of the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum in
February 2003 in Nairobi, the AMCEN decision on the AEO process was endorsed under decision GC
22/9, which recommended that UNEP continue to support the process.

When it was done

In May 2003, the UNEP Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA) launched the Africa
Environment Outlook 2 - Our Environment, Our Wealth (AEO-2) assessment. This involved consultation
at regional and sub-regional levels, was participatory, with inputs by scientists and other experts from
national and sub-regional institutions in Africa. The Collaborating Centres, using their national networks

and capacities built through the Global Environment Outlook (GEO) process, coordinated inputs and
the peer reviews in their sub-regions.

AEO Members of the assessment team

The AEO-2 assessment was based on wide consultation and participation, involving UNEP and

various partners in the Africa region. It reflected a variety of sub-regional perspectives and
priorities. The AEO process involved partnership with six GEO Collaborating Centres responsible
for producing sub-regional state of the environment and policy retrospective reports for Central
Africa, Eastern Africa, Northern Africa, Southern Africa, Western Africa and the Western Indian

28 The GEO Approach to Integrated Environmental Assessment