The second edition of the high-level conference on the “Blue Belt” initiative was held yesterday, Tuesday, January 31, 2023, in Agadir, chaired by Mohamed Sadiki, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water, and Forests.
The meeting, held on the sidelines of the “Haliotis” International Exhibition, was attended by more than 270 participants representing 32 countries, including 24 delegations led by ministers from Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, as well as international organizations.
The agenda focused on discussing ways to implement and institutionalize the “Blue Belt” cooperation initiative, which aims to strengthen South-South cooperation in the fields of fisheries, aquaculture, and ocean monitoring as a key component of the Blue Economy initiative.
Since the initiative was announced during the 22nd session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference, it has provided a significant opportunity to strengthen the capacities of participating countries, equipping them with tools and mechanisms for the sustainable management of fisheries and aquaculture, as well as to enhance cooperation and the exchange of expertise among these countries.
In a speech delivered on the occasion, Minister Sadiki praised the important role that fishery and aquaculture products continue to play in ensuring food security, while emphasizing the importance of implementing and enforcing measures and mechanisms to ensure the sustainability of marine resources, thereby guaranteeing food security, especially since this initiative effectively fuels the momentum surrounding the blue economy.
The minister noted that the “Blue Belt” initiative serves as a model for promoting sustainability efforts and best practices in addressing climate challenges, which are also aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, adding that this edition represents an important opportunity to assess the progress made in implementing cooperation agreements related to the seas and oceans, as well as projects linked to the blue economy and its various sectors in member states, since the initiative’s establishment in 2019.
Participants in this conference discussed ways to address the challenges at hand and adopt guidelines and recommendations for the initiative in order to secure the necessary resources to implement the Blue Belt agendas in the coming years, believing that the implementation of this initiative will help member countries overcome the many problems and challenges they face as they seek to make the maritime economy one of the main pillars of their economies.
The discussions also focused on the outcomes and prospects of bilateral cooperation with these countries in the fields of fisheries and marine aquaculture, as well as on issues and questions regarding governance related to ocean and maritime affairs, calling for a unified position on these matters in international forums.
On the sidelines of the conference, Morocco signed bilateral cooperation agreements with the Republic of Benin, the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, and the Republic of Liberia to support them in their marine expeditions aimed at advancing ocean-related scientific research and assessing fish stocks.
These agreements focus on developing and sharing Morocco’s experience in scientific and technical research and development in the wild fisheries sector and the development of marine aquaculture, and it is planned to continue expanding this cooperation to include other member countries of the initiative.
Through the collaborative platform of the “Blue Belt” initiative, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water, and Forests is working to establish a cooperation fund to mobilize resources in support of development projects in the fields of aquaculture and sustainable fishing in member countries.
Sheikh Al-Wali
