Mancham Raises Seychelles’ Profile at World Ocean Summit
THE profile of Seychelles ran high on the opening day of the World Ocean Summit on Thursday 4th June, 2015 following three interventions from Sir James R. Mancham, founding President of Seychelles.
The summit was hosted by The Economist and the National Geographic in Caiscas, Portugal. Sir James' intervention came following the key note address of Nkisazana Dlamini Zuma, chairperson of the African Union Commission on the theme ‘Decade of African Seas and Oceans’.
In that address Ms Zuma gave an overview of the African Union's recently adopted national strategy aimed at addressing maritime challenges for sustainable development and competitiveness.
Sir James' first point was about his disappointment that the report circulated by the organisers carried a map of the world's oceans which only depicted the World's continents with no mention of the small island nations which are spread across the various oceans.
His second point was an expression of concern as to the level of global governance in place at this time to protect the interests of small island states when it comes to the mining of the ocean sea bed.
“Recently China proposed to India the possibility of a collaborative venture for the exploitation of the sea bed resources of the Indian Ocean. While I am sure that both China and India may not wish to overlook the interests and involvements of small island nations, if such a joint venture was to materialise, have we got in place a global legal framework to ensure that the interests of small island states are not overlooked within such a partnership,” Sir James enquired.
His third intervention concerned the need for The Economist to promote more agressively and transparently the excellent initiative which the annual World Ocean Summit represents. “Perhaps the editorial board of the highly respected magazine should consider dedicating one or two pages of each issue to World Ocean Affairs considering the important role the oceans will have to play in the socio economic architecture of the future.”
Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor in chief of The Economist, spoke about the new economic and business paradigm which is emerging for the Oceans – the Blue Economy. Though not clearly defined, she explained, it offers a vision of the ocean and coast as a new source of economic growth, job creation and investment. She said, that viewed narrowly, this could mean the beginning of a new and intensified phase of conventional economic activity.
A more expansive interpretation sees the Blue Economy as an opportunity to invest in the oceans in a way that allows economic growth to flourish alongside a healthy ocean environment.
“However, current realities clearly fall short of this ideal. Much economic activity in and around the ocean remains detrimental to ocean health and to the long- term sustainability of ocean ecosystems. Overfishing is rampant, pollution suffocating, and the impact of climate change on the seas greatly threatening. Government and business are beginning to recognise the need for a new model. But what should that model look like and how will we implement it?” Ms Zanny Minton Beddoes asked. Previous World Ocean Summits considered what a suitable ocean economy might look like and what government frameworks could enable it.
Charles Goddard, editorial director Asia Pacific of The Economist's Intelligence Unit who is credited to have dedicated recent years to the World Ocean Summit initiative said that the aims of the 2015 summit was to answer one fundamental question - How can we make the transition from a conventional ocean economy to a new, Blue Economy? In this connection he invited the 350 delegates attending the summit to share their views on what is needed to build a blue economy and to restore our seas to health.
The 2015 initiative has materialised through the support and sponsorship of the government of Portugal and its ministry of Agriculture & Sea; of National Geographic; Blancpain; the Environmental Defence Fund (EDF); Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics; the Walton Family Foundation; and the World Wildlife Fund.
On the eve of the opening of the conference his excellency the President of the Portuguese Republic, Anibal Cavaco Silva, hosted a welcome reception at the Palacio da Cidadella in Cascais which was attended by the speakers and VIP delegates taking part in the summit. On this occasion Sir James had a long discussion with both President Silva and his minister for Agriculture and Sea, Assuncao Cristas, concerning the leading role which Seychelles has been playing as the projected leader of small island nations within the Blue Economy concept. It is to be noted that while Portugal's maritime space covers almost half of the total maritime space of the European Union, Seychelles' maritime space is roughly three and half times greater than the total size of the federal Republic of Germany.
To emphasise the importance which Portugal is attaching to the Blue Economy, Minister Cristas told Sir James that Portugal has decided to dedicate one week every year as the Blue Economy week.
Sir James said the Seychelles President James Michel is attaching so much importance to the subject that the Blue Economy has been afforded ministerial portfolio of its own and the important Minister of Finance has now also been appointed as the Minister of the Blue Economy.
“Seychelles has designated over 50% of its land mass under one form of protection or another. Seychelles is very reliant on its fishing industry and desires to benefit from the introduction of aquaculture. For a new sustainable fisheries scenario to be entrenched at a global level, we need to strengthen the role of those states that are the guardian of the resources. Obviously, Seychelles is a maritime nation with vital interests in the seas around it, hence its interest in maritime security particularly following the threat from piracy. Now there is talk about marine mineral resources. All these factors considered together explain the leading role Seychelles is playing in the promotion, growth and success of the Blue Economy concept,” Sir James explained in an interview with the Portuguese TV network.
The two-day conference saw presentations and conversations with some of the world's leading players in the field of the Blue Economy opportunities, growth and challenges. Among all, were Mark Tercek, President and chief executive officer of Nature Conservancy; Justin Mundy, director of the Prince of Wales International Sustainability Unit; Karmenu Vella, commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission; Kathryn Sullivan, under secretary for Oceans and Athmosphere of the US Department of Commerce; Elisabeth Aspaker, Minister for Fisheries of Norway; Susy Pudjiastuti, Minister for Marine Affairs and Fisheries of Indonesia; Mario Aguilar, national commissioner of Fisheries of Mexico; Christopher Costello, Professor of Environmental and Resource Economics of the University of California and Santander Barbara; Paola Caballero, senior director of the World Bank Group; Andrew Palmer, business affairs editor of The Economist; Jose Maria Figueres, former President of the Republic of Costa Rica who use to co-chair of the Global Ocean Commission; Catherine Novello, under secretary of State for Economic Growth Energy and Environment of the Department of State of the US Government; Terry Garcia, chief science and exploration officer of National Geographic Society; Brian Skerry, photojournalist of the National Geographic Society; Paul Holthos, chief executive of the World Ocean Council; Paul Rally, co-founder and chief executive of Clean Marine Energy; John Lyras, vice-chairman International Chamber of Shipping and Dominic Ziegler, Asia editor of The Economist; John Tobin della Puente, managing director and global head of sustainability at Credit Suisse; James Anderson, Director and Professor of Sustainable Food Systems of the University of Florida; Rania Arnason, Professor of the University of Iceland; James Astill, political editor and Baghot columnist of The Economist; Naomi Atauea, Secretary Minister for Marine Resources and Fisheries of Kiribati; Maryam Bell, policy officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Uta Bellion, director of the Pew Charitable trust; Charles Clover, chairman of the Blue Marine Foundation; Miguel de Serpa Soares, under secretary general for Legal Affairs of the United Nations; Alain de la Muraz, vice-president and head of marketing of Blancpain; John Gunn, chief executive of Australian Institute of Marine Science; Hideo Inomata, assistant director Japan Fisheries Agency; Anna Larsson, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics; Millicent Pitts, chief executive of the Ocean Exchange; Irene Reynolds Schier, member of the board of governors of Ocean Exchange; Paul Rose, expedition leader of National Geographic Society; Zhang Zhanhai, director general with the department of strategic planning and economy of the State Oceanic Administration of the People's Republic of China, and several other leaders in ocean affairs.
The closing key note address of the conference was delivered by none other than the Prime Minister of Portugal, Pedro Passos Coelho.
More information on the World Ocean Summit can be accessed at economistinsights.com
Source: VIOAS Release
Subscribe to our newsletter. Receive a weekly round-up of all piracy-related & maritime situational awareness news.
OCEANUSLive.org
Information, Security, Safety; Shared
Submitted by Team@oceanuslive.org