Abidjan Convention: Convention for Co-operation in the Protection and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the West and Central African Region

The Abidjan Convention is a regional framework agreement that provides the basis for countries on the Atlantic seabord of Africa to cooperate in the prevention and control of pollution, and the protection of biodiversity in the region's seas. There are 22 countries in the Abidjan Convention region (Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Sao Tome e Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Togo), 20 of which have ratified the Convention. The Abidjan Convention is administered by UNEP, and forms part of UNEP's Regional Seas Programme, which (as of 2026) encompasses Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans in 18 regions around the world.