MESA Regional Training Workshop on "Communicating Scientific Information to Policy Makers"

Given the importance of the role of scientific information in the different products developed under the MESA-IOC-MOI theme and the difficulty that scientists/technical people find in effectively sharing and communicating their findings with managers, decision makers and policymakers, it is paramount to provide scientists/technical people with the necessary tools for them to overcome the challenges they encounter in sharing their results with policymakers.

In the above framework, the Mauritius Oceanography Institute organised the MESA-IOC-MOI Regional Training Workshop on “Communicating Scientific Information to Policy Makers” from the 8th to 12th August 2016 at the Aanari Hotel in Flic en Flac, Mauritius.

The organisation of this training workshop forms part of the capacity building activities of MESA programme for the IOC thematic action. The objective of this workshop was to improve decision making and the development of policies based on the scientific data, products and bulletins that are generated under the MESA-IOC theme.

Participants received training on:

1. different ways to communicate scientific information contained in MESA products/bulletins to decision makers and policy makers

2. formulation of policy briefs

3. identification of the most appropriate policy audience

4. preparation of policy presentations

5. preparation of written communication materials

A total of 33 participants attended the workshop, representing 7 countries of the South West Indian Ocean region (Comoros, Seychelles, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius). The training workshop was fully sponsored by the MESA Programme.