Luanda - The Blue Economy represents a huge opportunity to promote sustainable transformation and face the challenges posed by climate change, said Monday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the commissioner of the African Union (AU), Josefa Correia Sacko.
The diplomat, who was speaking at the international conference of partners on the blue economy, defended a strategic plan for sustainable development.
A strategic plan is crucial for achieving a prosperous and sustainable future, particularly for Africa, she said.
Josefa Sacko noted that one of the significant challenges currently facing the world is climate change, which is worsening poverty rates and threatening the safety and populations' well-being.
“Small Islands under development face existential threats from climate change. Urgent and decisive measures are needed to address this challenge, and in this regard, I praise Cabo Verde for assuming a leadership role in this regard, including holding the 9th Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa in 2021, which adopted the Santa Maria Declaration”, she acknowledged.
The diplomat said that the AU is proceeding with the implementation of the action plan for green recovery and the action strategy for climate change and resilient development, which place great emphasis on the needs of island developing countries, creating resilience in key sectors such as tourism, which is heavily dependent on the climate, and promoting food security through the promotion of smart agriculture.
The diplomat recognised that Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are at the forefront of disasters induced by climate change, so “we are committed to expanding our support to disaster risk reduction through our early warning and African Union fast action system.
According to the commissioner, the blue economy presents an enormous opportunity to promote sustainable economic transformation and face the challenges posed by climate change, with great emphasis on the role of women, as well as the promotion of research and development to guarantee transformation and capacity building.
"Moreover, as we navigate the current food security crisis, we must strengthen our blue food systems, noting that our common African position on food security recognizes the importance of seafood and fisheries in the continent's diet," she said. .
She also stressed that this year, the African Union has mobilised all its attention to the Continental Free Trade Area and will ensure that countries geographically distant from the continent can benefit from its transformative vision.
