Luanda – Angola’s minister of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Maria do Rosário Sambo, has said the country needs to broaden the range of institutions and researchers eager to devote themselves to sea issues for better understanding and management of the ocean and ecosystem services.
Speaking during a visit to the Tara Foundation Sailboat (a French institution) that calls in Luanda for the "Tara Océan Scientific Expedition", the minister said Angola has few researchers in this area, underlining that despite this aspect, the government is developing initiatives to train and increase the number of researchers in this field.
"We have a shortage of researchers, but the important thing is that there are conditions to carry out more and more research work", the minister said, having emphasized the fact that the country has several scientific research institutions, such as the National Institute for Fisheries Research.
In the meantime, French ambassador to Angola, Daniel Vosgien, said the inclusion of Luanda in the route of the French sailboat, represents an opportunity to boost cooperation between France and Angola regarding oceanic themes.
"A series of events was organized for the public, scientific community and the school community. The objective was to understand the key role of the ocean and the challenges", the French diplomat said.
The French ambassador added that meetings between French and Angolan researchers will promote dialogue between the different actors dealing with the subject.
The captain of the Sailboat Tara, Samuel Audrain, said that the team of 14 researchers is on a two-year mission, with a team of 6 scientists, 6 sailors and a journalist.
Mr Audrain said the researchers' objective is to do science and share knowledge, which is why they have already passed through countries like Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and South Africa.
The information collected during the research is being analyzed by the scientists on the boat allowing analyses to be made and compared with others from external laboratories.
"We are also looking to create links with local scientists working on the mission, where we are going to pass, because the ultimate goal is the protection of the environment. The idea is to seek scientific results with everyone", he reinforced.
The French foundation's ship is part of an international scientific research mission in the Atlantic, entitled “MICROBIOMES”, about marine microbial flora and fauna and plastic pollution of the oceans.
The aim is to develop and apply a new unifying framework that provides cognitive resources for better understanding and management of the ocean and its ecosystem services.
