Under the Commonwealth Blue Charter Cyprus is the champion country for Sustainable Aquaculture, Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland said Friday, noting that Commonwealth has the collective power to influence global priorities and to take leadership on actions towards a sustainable ocean that supports the needs of all people, regardless of gender, culture, age or geography.

Speaking at a press conference after the conclusion of the inaugural Commonwealth Ocean Ministers Meeting (COMM) that took place in Cyprus, she thanked the Republic of Cyprus for hosting the COMM under the theme “Our resilient common ocean: from Cyprus to Samoa” and which was attended by ministers and officials from 28 Commonwealth countries and 12 observer organisations.

Replying to a question, she said that a number of people have been inspired by what Cyprus has done and referred to aquaculture, saying that it is something that has been generated and pursued by the private sector. We were given to understand, she added, t
hat 80% of the fish that has been grown here in Cyprus comes from aquaculture which as she said, according to a Minister ‘is absolutely delicious’. ‘So there is a business opportunity for many’ she pointed out.

The Deputy Minister of Shipping, Marina Hadjimanolis, said that today marked a historic moment for everybody especially for Cyprus, noting that it was an honor to host this significant meeting.

Replying to a question, she said that Cyprus has best practices that it can pass to other countries in matters of technology and science.

The Commonwealth SG said that “it marks exactly six years since Heads of Government adopted the Commonwealth Blue Charter – a commitment by Commonwealth countries to work together on tackling ocean issues and to take action to safeguard the ocean. That commitment was reaffirmed in 2022 when Commonwealth Heads of Government met in Rwanda and agreed to develop a Commonwealth Ocean Declaration”.

She added that during the Cyprus meeting, Ministers discussed a framework and roa
dmap for the Declaration, “which we hope will be adopted by leaders when they next meet in Samoa in October this year” and they reaffirmed the importance of collaboration, ambitious actions, and the need for financing of ocean initiatives.

In addition she noted that a three-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Commonwealth, the Shipping Deputy Ministry of Cyprus and the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute, to establish a Blue Charter Centre of Excellence.

The Centre of Excellence, she said, will provide support and expertise in creating policies to assist Commonwealth and other island and coastal countries on topics such as the management, protection and restoration of marine and coastal ecosystems, the prevention and elimination of marine pollution, and the sustainable use of living marine resources.

The Commonwealth SG added that several delegations spoke today about their concerns around sea-level rise and the need to recognise the permanence of maritime boundaries.

Moreover,
she referred to the various challenges, which are ocean-related, pointing out that no country can solve these challenges alone.

Under the Commonwealth Blue Charter, she said, Cyprus is the champion country for Sustainable Aquaculture and said that the Commonwealth has paved the way for accessing finance for ocean-related and other climate issues, through the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub.

“Yet we know that Commonwealth countries will increasingly need to harness science, too, in reaching fair and equitable solutions to our ocean challenges. However, access to marine knowledge and scientific capacity are unevenly distributed”, she said.

That’s why, she added, Cyprus’s offer to establish a Blue Charter Centre of Excellence is so welcome. “That focus on governance for a sustainable blue economy, sustainable aquaculture, marine research, development and innovation will help level the playing field”.

Concluding, she said that we look forward to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa in
October, another small island country – or big ocean country – where the focus is on resilience and how the Commonwealth family can collectively support each other.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Under the Commonwealth Blue Charter Cyprus is the champion country for Sustainable Aquaculture, Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland said Friday, noting that Commonwealth has the collective power to influence global priorities and to take leadership on actions towards a sustainable ocean that supports the needs of all people, regardless of gender, culture, age or geography.

Speaking at a press conference after the conclusion of the inaugural Commonwealth Ocean Ministers Meeting (COMM) that took place in Cyprus, she thanked the Republic of Cyprus for hosting the COMM under the theme “Our resilient common ocean: from Cyprus to Samoa” and which was attended by ministers and officials from 28 Commonwealth countries and 12 observer organisations.

Replying to a question, she said that a number of people have been inspired by what Cyprus has done and referred to aquaculture, saying that it is something that has been generated and pursued by the private sector. We were given to understand, she added, t
hat 80% of the fish that has been grown here in Cyprus comes from aquaculture which as she said, according to a Minister ‘is absolutely delicious’. ‘So there is a business opportunity for many’ she pointed out.

The Deputy Minister of Shipping, Marina Hadjimanolis, said that today marked a historic moment for everybody especially for Cyprus, noting that it was an honor to host this significant meeting.

Replying to a question, she said that Cyprus has best practices that it can pass to other countries in matters of technology and science.

The Commonwealth SG said that “it marks exactly six years since Heads of Government adopted the Commonwealth Blue Charter – a commitment by Commonwealth countries to work together on tackling ocean issues and to take action to safeguard the ocean. That commitment was reaffirmed in 2022 when Commonwealth Heads of Government met in Rwanda and agreed to develop a Commonwealth Ocean Declaration”.

She added that during the Cyprus meeting, Ministers discussed a framework and roa
dmap for the Declaration, “which we hope will be adopted by leaders when they next meet in Samoa in October this year” and they reaffirmed the importance of collaboration, ambitious actions, and the need for financing of ocean initiatives.

In addition she noted that a three-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Commonwealth, the Shipping Deputy Ministry of Cyprus and the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute, to establish a Blue Charter Centre of Excellence.

The Centre of Excellence, she said, will provide support and expertise in creating policies to assist Commonwealth and other island and coastal countries on topics such as the management, protection and restoration of marine and coastal ecosystems, the prevention and elimination of marine pollution, and the sustainable use of living marine resources.

The Commonwealth SG added that several delegations spoke today about their concerns around sea-level rise and the need to recognise the permanence of maritime boundaries.

Moreover,
she referred to the various challenges, which are ocean-related, pointing out that no country can solve these challenges alone.

Under the Commonwealth Blue Charter, she said, Cyprus is the champion country for Sustainable Aquaculture and said that the Commonwealth has paved the way for accessing finance for ocean-related and other climate issues, through the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub.

“Yet we know that Commonwealth countries will increasingly need to harness science, too, in reaching fair and equitable solutions to our ocean challenges. However, access to marine knowledge and scientific capacity are unevenly distributed”, she said.

That’s why, she added, Cyprus’s offer to establish a Blue Charter Centre of Excellence is so welcome. “That focus on governance for a sustainable blue economy, sustainable aquaculture, marine research, development and innovation will help level the playing field”.

Concluding, she said that we look forward to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa in
October, another small island country – or big ocean country – where the focus is on resilience and how the Commonwealth family can collectively support each other.

Source: Cyprus News Agency