The Maldives’ Government and Blue Prosperity Coalition are presently leading a workshop to discuss and deliberate upon the best ways of implementing the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the two parties at the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, held in New York, USA in September this year.
The aforementioned MOU enjoins the two parties to devise a long-term program to protect and preserve the Maldives’ maritime environment and resources, which will ensure that future development occurs in harmony with the ocean’s well-being.
The two-day workshop will run on the 12th and 15th of December. It invites national stakeholders to provide their input relevant to the most effective ways of realizing the MOU’s core aims, which include: conducting collaborative maritime scientific research; enhancing Maritime Spatial Planning; designating certain portions of the ocean as protected areas; and establishing better mechanisms for maritime governance and ocean resource preservation.
The cumulative input of the stakeholders present - including the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture; the Ministry of Planning; the Marine Research Institute; the Local Government Authority and the Environmental Protection Agency; Waitt Institute; Partnership Organization; Scripps Institution of Oceanography; Pristine Seas; and Nekton - will be compiled into a work plan that will outline steps relevant to accomplishing each of these goals.
The Blue Prosperity Foundation is a global network of ocean experts working to advance ocean protection and grow Blue Economies. Partnering with them will accelerate and complement the Maldives’ ongoing efforts to preserve the health of its ocean and ensure a thriving maritime environment.
