6th December, 2018 Last week, Tonga’s Minister for Agriculture, Food, Forests and Fisheries, Hon. Semisi T. Fakahau led Tonga’s delegation to the inaugural global Sustainable Blue Economy Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 26 – 28 November 2018. He was accompanied by five representatives from Government and one each from the Civil Society of Tonga and the Tonga National Youth Congress. The Conference was jointly hosted by the Governments of Kenya, Canada and Japan whose funding contribution, via UNDP, enabled the participation of Hon. Fakahau and his delegation.
The main theme of the Conference was “Blue Economy and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. A sustainable blue economy seeks to promote economic growth, responsible production and consumption, social inclusion, and the preservation or improvement of livelihoods while at the same time ensuring environmental sustainability of the ocean and coastal areas.
Hon Fakahau told the gathering that “Tonga fully supports the convening of the Sustainable Blue Economy conference. As a small island developing State in the South Pacific Ocean, I am proud to say that the concept of Blue Economy has been an integral part of the history of my country. It is by means of the ocean, which we now coin as part of the Blue Economy, that we arrived on our islands, survived on our islands, and we will continue to thrive on our islands.”
The Conference was well attended by participants of about sixteen thousand from around the world including Heads of State/Government, Ministers, Mayors/Governors, diplomats, government officials, international organizations, business sector, bankers, community-based organizations, civil society, private sector, women and youth, academia, research institutions, etc. The diversity of participants reflects the nature of the blue economy which is multisectoral, interlinked, integrated, participatory, inclusive, synergistic, and complementary.
The outcome of the Conference was “The Nairobi Statement of Intent on Advancing Global Sustainable Blue Economy 28 November 2018, Nairobi, Kenya.” Some of the key messages of the Statement of Intent include: (a) promoting: actions, partnerships, mobilization of finance from public and private sources, and role of women; (b) strengthening: science/research and dissemination of knowledge and information, policy, governance, and synergies among authorities; and (c) scale up productive and conservation activities in: maritime transportation, employment, tourism, energy, maritime security, fisheries, pollution-free oceans, and communities.
The close partnership of the Government with civil society organizations, private sector, women and youth to ensure the sustainable development of Tonga’s blue economy is vital.
ENDS