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Mozambique’s ‘Growing Blue’ conference addresses maritime security and sustainability
The Government of Mozambique, with support from the Government of Norway, convened the first Growing Blue Conference on the theme, ‘Sustainable and Shared Use of the Ocean’, which was held in Maputo, Mozambique on May 24-25th, 2019.
President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi of Mozambique opened the conference, and Seychelles President Danny Faure, in his keynote address, highlighted the importance of a collective and sustainable approach towards ocean conservation for the future of the planet. “Our ocean is our most precious resource. We recognise not just its vast potential, but also the fragility of its ecosystems and the need to preserve it for future generations. In actuality the ocean is not just Seychelles’ biggest asset, it is the biggest asset for all citizens of the world, be they inhabitants of islands, coastal states and even land-locked countries,” he said.
The biennial international conference is supported by Norway and other cooperation partners, and takes as its theme the ‘Sustainable and Shared Exploitation of the Ocean’. Mozambique intends the ‘Growing Blue’ conference to promote a platform based on innovation and scientific and technological research for blue economic development. Joint areas of action to accelerate the implementation of the national, regional and international commitments made by the countries of the Western Indian Ocean region are also a focus of the conference.
The Norwegian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Jens Frølich Holte, highlighted the importance of the sustainable use of ocean resources, “The oceans are vital for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. We need the whole international community to work together to reach the goal of a sustainable blue economy.”
Per Erik Bergh, representing Stop illegal Fishing, participated in the panel on maritime security, speaking on the theme of ‘Maritime safety and security for the sustainability of the oceans’. Per Erik emphasised the critical role played by political leaders in determining whether the growth of the blue economy benefits coastal States, or leads to further over-exploitation of our Oceans. “It is positive to see so many world leaders participating in this Mozambican event. We need politicians, businesses, international organisations, and fishers to work together to protect our oceans from over exploitation and over fishing.”