On 19 June, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Tourism and Handicrafts, Houmed Msaidie, opened the national workshop on the Blue Economy in Comoros, in collaboration with the European Union. The two-day forum focused on sustainable development strategies for the fisheries sector, and presented an in-depth study of the fisheries value chain in the Union of the Comoros.
The minister highlighted the initiatives of the Comorian Head of State, in particular the implementation of the second ten-year plan of Agenda 2063 and the organisation of the ministerial conference on the blue economy and climate action, marked by the Moroni Declaration of 14 June 2023. This declaration provides for a special fund for African island states, integrating their specific characteristics into regional and continental policies, according to the Al-Watwan newspaper. Pierre Beziz, head of the European Union office in the Comoros, recalled that this collaboration with the Comorian authorities, centred on fisheries, was identified two years ago as a strategic sector. He emphasised the significant impact of fisheries on growth, employment and food security, while acknowledging the environmental and inclusion challenges linked to the development of this sector. The EU’s Green and Blue Pact programme, already endowed with rapidly mobilisable funds, aims to support the fisheries sector in a holistic way, covering all aspects of the value chain. In addition to funding, the EU is engaging in ongoing dialogue with the Comorian authorities to lift the red card received in 2017, indicating non-cooperation in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
Source FMM
