The World Conservation Union is the world’s largest and most important conservation network. The Union brings together 82 States, 111 government agencies, more than 800 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and some 10,000 scientists and experts from 181 countries in a unique worldwide partnership.



The Union’s mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.



The World Conservation Union is a multicultural, multilingual organization with 1000 staff located in 62 countries. Its headquarters are in Gland, Switzerland.



The West/Central Asia and North Africa (WESCANA) Programme covers a vast region which spans from Morocco in the West, through North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, to the Central Asian countries in the East.



Even though the region is heterogeneous bio-geographically, it has ecological and social common traits, particularly in terms of culture and religion. It bridges three continents: Asia, Africa and Europe. It is rich in biological resources and its cultural and natural heritage still influences the daily life of the people.



Some countries have identified needs that are particular to their economical, ecological and social situation and have expressed a strong interest in developing national programmes that would be more adapted to these national realities, while being complementary - and not overlapping - existing project and programme activities at a sub-regional level.