Several African and European officials as well as international experts commended the Blue Belt initiative, launched by Morocco at COP 22 in Marrakech, which aimed at establishing a platform for action to promote fisheries in Africa. The relevance of this initiative was highlighted at a high-level conference held on Tuesday in Agadir under the theme “The Blue Belt, a platform for action to promote the sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture in Africa”. Participants in this international meeting, convened on the eve of the 5th edition of the Halieutis Show, held in Agadir February 21-24, underlined the strategic dimension of the Blue Belt initiative, which is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN. The initiative also seeks to ensure food security for the Africa peoples, create more jobs, and generate wealth. The Blue Belt Initiative, announced at Oceans’ Day at COP22 (Nov.2016), is meant to boost sustainable fisheries and bolster coastal resilience to climate change.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 20, 2019 15:22 UTC