Beijing (TDI): The third China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Blue Economy Development Cooperation was organized from Sunday to Tuesday with the launch of a global development project pool information management system, and the inauguration of China-Indian Ocean region center for maritime cooperation and training.
Under the theme of “the Future of the Blue Indian Ocean Development, Practices of the Global South”, the gathering was hosted by China International Development Cooperation Agency, Yunnan government, Maldives Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources and Barbados’ Ministry of Environment and National Beautification, Green and Blue Economy.
Delegates from more than twenty governments as well as representatives of global organizations, local governments, think tanks and enterprises attended the forum.
Deals on building projects for early warning and response to climate-induced disasters in Pakistan and the Maldives were also inked on Monday.
China has established normalized cooperation mechanisms with seventeen Indian Ocean region nations, and cooperation is being carried out in sectors including biodiversity and disaster reduction, remote sensing, maritime monitoring and research, according to the meeting organizer.
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Head of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, Luo Zhaohui, said in his speech that this forum aims to convey three important messages: “Blue,” “Action,” and “Unity.”
The blue economy has become a utmost priority in important policy documents such as the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the Global Development Initiative, the Ocean Decade, and the African Union Agenda 2063.
Developing the blue economy of the Indian Ocean and achieving sustainable development in the region needed collective and instant action from all parties, Luo noted.
As a member of the “Global South,” China has always shared the same fate with regional nations, particularly small island countries, he said.
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During the annual forum, representatives of regional nations have discussed extensive subjects on the blue economy and sustainable development.
Vice President of Maldives Hussain Mohamed Latheef said at the forum that fishing and tourism, two pillars of the country’s economy, are severely affected by illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, climate change and ocean pollution.
Maldives is committed to making 33% of its electricity from renewable energy by 2028.
Achieving a just climate transition that meets the diverse requirements of different nations is vital for mitigating global warming and protecting marine biodiversity, which is also critical for the blue economy of vulnerable countries, Latheef said.
