By Audrey Raymonda Sesay
Sierra Leone Maritime (SLM) has held its first ever workshop on the importance of attracting golden opportunities in the marine sector by promoting the practices of ‘blue economy in the country’.
The workshop was held at the Freetown City Council hall on the 4th March 2024.
SLM’s focuses on: Imperative for Leveraging and Optimizing Opportunities and Potentials of the Maritime Domain and Blue Economy in Sierra Leone.
The executive director gave his presentation on mainstreaming the maritime domain and the blue economy.
He welcomed ministers, delegates and government representatives at the workshop.
He said he was happy to have government representatives within the maritime family to discuss a subject that is very much closed to his heart.
He said it would help us to build unified and sustainable economy in the country.
He further paid patronage to the Minister of Transport and Aviation, MDAs board of SLMA management and staffs for accepting his proposal to take a different trajectory on the concept of blue economy.
Maritime was established by an Act of parliament in 2000 for the registration of ships and other vessels, licenses and safety of maritime personnel and the regulations and development.
SLM’s executive director said they are working with stakeholders like International Maritime Organizations, Regional Maritime University, the World Maritime University, the Ministry of Transport and Aviation, and many more.
United Nations representatives had recently defined ‘blue economy’ as an economy that comprises a range of economic sectors with related policies that determine whether the use of marine resources are sustainable or not.
They said one of the challenges of the blue economy is to understand and manage aspects of sustainability ranging from fisheries to ecosystems.
UN experts had said practicing blue economy will heal countries in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The blue economy is the new frontier in Africa. It has indirectly impacted Africa’s economy such on waste disposal and biodiversity; the blue economy profits are shipping, seaport, fisheries, tourism, renewable energy, marine genetic resources, minerals and marine biotechnology,” he said.
He said in Africa there are thirty-eight costal and highland states with an annual value of maritime industries estimated to reach one trillion dollars.
However, in Sierra Leone, he said, the country has not fully exploited the potential and versatile resources that remain on exploit.
The marine and coastal environment, he said, still remain under assault pointing at the extraction and exploitation of resources, and challenges of environmental pollution, plastic wastes seen under the water.
“The pollution that is affecting our country and communities are issues we must be concerned about in legal terms.”
“We must take necessary steps to protect our oceans as it is going to be a long time benefits for the nation.”
“By practicing this, the challenges of poverty, food insecurity and energy crises will be minimized while employment opportunities will be created for all,” SLM’s executive director said.