January 30, 2023 (MOGADISHU, Somalia): The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), with the financial support of the Government of Sweden, organised a three-day workshop to validate and endorse the Somalia’s National Blue Economy Strategy (2023-2027).
The first two days of the workshop was attended by high-level expert representatives of the Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Ports and Maritime Transport, the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Environment and Climate, the Ministry of Minerals and Natural Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Energy and Water Resources from other development partners.
In his opening speech on Behalf of the IGAD Executive Secretary, The Director of the IGAD Climate Predictions and Applications Centre (IGAD CPAC) Dr Guleid Artan, said: “IGAD with the ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy of Somalia has been working for the last four months on developing of national BE strategy for Somalia. Now the draft strategy is drafted and will be discussed by senior experts. For the next two days, technical experts will review the draft national BE strategy and come up with a final strategy with major strategic intervention areas and detailed activities. The team of experts have to draft a Communique’ to be adopted by ministers under the coordination of the Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy”.
The State Minister of Fisheries and Blue Economy of the Federal Government of Somalia, Mr Mohamed Bashiir Ali, in his official opening stated: “The Prime Minister of the Somalia Government has recently given a new name to the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources to Ministry of Fisheries and the Blue Economy, which if scientifically interpreted will be the good use of marine resources. It can be possible for Somalia to have a real strategy on Blue Economy issues and turn to take advantage of the resources that Allah has blessed it with.”
On the third day, a high-level meeting was convened and led by the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Salah Jama, the Minister of Fisheries and Blue Economy, Mr. Ahmed Aden, and other line ministers including the Minister of Energy and Water Resources, the Minister of Ports and Maritime Transport, the Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Federal Member States of Somalia, IGAD Experts, as well as development partners. The National Blue Economy Strategy for Somalia (2023-2027) was then adopted. A total of more than 200 experts attended this last day meeting.
Background
IGAD with the financial support from the Government of Sweden is supporting Member States to develop their BE strategy. It is believed that Blue Economy strategy brings together relevant sectors operating in the ocean and inland water spaces and harnesses their economic and strategic priorities into common goals and objectives, while also reconciling those economic and growth objectives with the needs and imperatives of environmental and social sustainability. Functional BE Strategy requires a profound transformation of institutional structures and governance models. Besides developing a BE policy and strategic plan, countries need to establish suitable institutional arrangements for devising, coordinating and overseeing the implementation of those plans and strategies as well as for reviewing and monitoring their progress and achievements.