The Fourth Session of the IOC Group of Experts on Capacity Development (GE-CD) was held as a hybrid meeting on 25 November 2022. 

            The GE-CD discussed the progress in its work plan in line with the instructions from the 31st session of the IOC Assembly (2021), most notably the preparation of the draft IOC CD Strategy 2023-2030 which will be submitted for adoption at the 32^nd session of the IOC Assembly in June 2023. The global and regional programmes and projects, and regional subsidiary bodies also reported on their activities for the implementation of the IOC CD strategy within their respective work plans. The Group also discussed the developments in the complementary approach in the joint efforts between the IOC CD Needs Assessment Survey and the Global Ocean Science Report Tracker, as well as the UN Ocean Decade. 

            The Group was also updated with the current status of the capacity development compendium, called the Ocean CD-Hub. Also, the Chair of the Working Group on Outreach provided updates on the potential plans in promoting the visibility of the IOC CD Strategy 2023-2030 to target stakeholders. The proposal will be submitted to the 32^nd Session of the IOC Assembly in June 2023.

            Among other things, the Group decided to:

• • • • Approve draft 0 of the IOC CD Strategy 2023-2030 and requested the Secretariat to prepare the draft for submission for the adoption of the IOC Assembly, at its 32nd session in June 2023;
      • Abolish the Working Group on the revision of the IOC CD Strategy as the required actions had been completed during the inter-sessional period; 
      • Re-elect Mr Alan Evans as Chair of the IOC Group of Experts on Capacity Development for the next intersessional period;
      • Agree on the proposed revisions in the Terms of Reference of the GE-CD and instructed the Secretariat to submit the revised ToR for the approval of the IOC Assembly, at its 32nd session in June 2023;
      • Agree on the proposed work plan for the next intersessional period which includes the CD Needs Assessment Survey, the launch of the Ocean CD-Hub, and the development of an Outreach Plan for the new IOC CD Strategy. 

            The meeting was attended by more than 30 participants including members of the IOC Group of Experts on Capacity Development, invited experts, IOC staff, and members of the CD Secretariat. The 21 members of the renewed Group of Experts were also invited in the meeting as observers. 

            More information about the workshop can be found here. The report of the meeting can be found here. 

Participants in the onsite meeting at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

Some of the 30+ participants in the online zoom meeting