The Prime Minister recalled that fisheries and aquaculture assure the livelihoods of 10 to 12 percent of the world’s population with more than 90% of those employed in small-scale operations in developing countries. According to World Bank statistics, he said, oceans are equally important for food security and jobs. Coastal areas within 100 kilometers of the ocean account for an estimated 61% of the world’s total Gross National Product and are of particular importance for developing countries. Healthy oceans, coasts and freshwater ecosystems are crucial for economic growth and food production in developing countries, he added.

Sir Anerood Jugnauth underlined that for Africa, oceans, coast and seas are of vital importance to the development and prosperity of the continent. However, the oceans are currently under threat by sea level rise and temperature, ocean acidification, and climate change and hence the importance of climate mitigation and adaptation, he stressed.

The Prime Minister pointed out that Mauritius is committed to the protection of the environment and is investing in ocean assets as well as working on policies to develop this sector. These measures include: creation of a Ministry dedicated to ocean-related activities, setting up of the National Ocean Council to drive the ocean economy strategy, the development of the Port master plan, finalisation of the legislative framework for hydrocarbon exploration, and extension of the port, amongst others.

For his part, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism and External communications, Mr Xavier-Luc Duval, stressed the need to put ocean economy on the world agenda and draw the attention of international agencies and donor to this issue. According to him, ocean economy has been inadequately addressed and now needs to be redressed. It is also important, he emphasised, to address the impact of climate change on ocean economy and to access the green climate fund which is a mechanism to assist developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change.

For the Minister of Ocean Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries, Shipping and Outer islands, Mr Premdut Koonjoo, since Mauritius manages a maritime zone of 2.3 million km² , the potential for economic advancement and prosperity that this resource can generate if developed in a sustainable way could take Mauritius to the next level – that of a high-income country, with a large geographic territory and the competencies, technologies and systems to manage this territory.

The Government, he added, is fully committed to transform the ocean economy into a major pillar of economy since it provides numerous opportunities for diversification, employment, economic growth. He also pointed out that healthy oceans are critical to poverty alleviation, healthy food and ecosystem development, amongst others.

The Conference

The Conference will be a decision-forcing two-day event that will:

(a) Muster international political leadership and sustain momentum on the need for climate action in building sustainable ocean economies ahead of the COP 22.

(b) Place Mauritius as an African international center of ocean economic forum to attract and demonstrate African leadership, as well as institutional investors and donors and partners in the area of ocean economy and climate change.

(c) To present an “African Ocean Economy and Climate Action Agenda” which will have as a key component an “African Oceans Finance Package” (entailing an investment agenda catalyzed by a number of government and company commitments and partnerships in pursuit of climate-smart investments in African ocean economies) for the benefit of African coastal and insular countries and to be announced at the UNFCCC COP22 in Marrakesh in November 2016.

(d) To enhance the capacity of Sub-Saharan Africa to plan and implement climate-resilient and low-carbon development. A number of priority areas for action will be needed to enhance Africa’s capacity to build climate-resilient ocean economies such as fisheries and aquaculture, integrity of the coastline, ports and shipping, renewable energy, tourism, and horizontal themes such as capacity building and finance.