The first Meeting of the Ministerial Conference of the Benguela Current Commission took place on Friday 20th July in Windhoek. The Conference was attended by the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Dr Abraham Iyambo, and his counterparts Salomão Juheto Xirimbimbi from Angola and  the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism in South Africa, Marthinus van Schalkwyk. 
The Conference reviewed the role and functions of the Commission, the terms of reference of the executive positions and adopted a strategic programme of action as well as a science plan that will implement an ecosystem approach to the manage-ment of the Benguela region.
The Ministers decided that the Commission would be located in Namibia and headed by an Executive Secretary who would oversee the administration of the Commission. An Ecosystem Coordinator will also be appointed to coordinate the Commission’s scientific programme.
Minister Abraham Iyambo of Namiba was elected to chair the Commission. Dr Francisca Delgado, Director of the Marine Research Institute (INIP) in Angola, was elected to chair the Management Board of the Commission. Dr Mick O’Toole, Chief Technical Advisor of the BCLME Programme will act as Executive Secretary until a formal appointment is made.
The Commission will now replace the two regional programmes, the Benguela Fisheries Environment and Training Programme, BENEFIT and the BCLME  (Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem Programme), both of which are drawing to a close.
Support for the operation of the new Commission will be sought from a number of partner countries and agencies over the next few months and such assistance will be negotiated through a donor conference later in the year, to be chaired by one of the Ministers.