The Minister for Fisheries and Blue Economy – Minister Jean Francois Ferrari attended the 15th edition of the Monaco Blue Initiative hosted by the Principality of Monaco from the 17th to 18th March, 2024.
The Monaco Blue Initiative is an annual event co-organized by the Oceanographic Institute – Prince Albert I of Monaco Foundation, and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation which is held within the framework of the Monaco Ocean Week. A week of debate, analysis and awareness-raising to better understand the challenges facing the future of the Ocean.
The Seychelles Delegation consists of Honorable Bernard Georges – Chairperson of the Seychelles Islands Foundation, Mrs. Phillianne Ernesta – Principal Secretary of the Department of Blue Economy.
Minister Ferrari delivered a keynote address at the main event, where he emphasized the importance of international collaboration in preserving fragile ecosystems, citing the joint efforts between the Monaco Expedition and the Republic of Seychelles within the Aldabra Atoll and the Saya de Malha Banks which is part of the Jointly Managed Area between Seychelles and Mauritius.
In his statement, Minister Ferrari emphasized the progress made in ratifying the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty (BBNJ), which the Seychelles Parliament endorsed last week serving as a milestone for Seychelles being the first country in Africa and third in the world to take lead on this important initiative. He passionately advocated for Seychelles’ appeal for co-management and co-development at the international level; illustrating the example of constructive discussions to identify effective approaches rather than simply instructing what not to do.
The Minister also engaged in a series of bilateral meetings with the Monaco Explorations team, where he engaged in thorough discussions to strengthen existing relations between the Monaco Explorations Team and the Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy.
