ADDIS ABABA (HAN) February 29, 2016 – Public Diplomacy and Regional Stability Initiatives News. The Inter Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is set to validate the Regional Fisheries and Aquaculture Strategy (2016-2020) during a meeting scheduled for March 1st to 2nd 2016 in Addis Ababa.
The five-year strategy will help identify the challenges on the fish resource, potential of the resource and implementation action plan, a press statement sent to ENA said.
Representatives from the eight IGAD Member States, European Union, AU-IBAR, FAO, Oxfam-Somalia, Fish Experts and IGAD Secretariat are expected at the workshop.
The two days workshop is to review the draft report submitted by the consultants and to validate the strategy that was developed with the financial support of European Union (EU).
The statement said the strategy helps member states in the IGAD region to combat food insecurity, malnutrition, build resilience and provide a clear road map for the intervention to be undertaken in the area of fisheries and aquaculture.
Through the strategy, member states in the IGAD region will have the opportunity to utilize the fish resource sustainably especially in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL).
The statement added the fish resource potential and its contribution to resilience, food security and livelihood diversification in ASALs are overlooked by member states and development partners.
It was indicated that most of the current fishery activities in the IGAD region are focused on inland waters located in the highlands and populated areas.
In April 2014, the African ministers for fisheries and aquaculture met in Addis Ababa and agreed on the Pan-African Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy Framework and Reform Strategy.
The document was formally adopted in June 2014 by AU Heads of State and Government.
Leave a Reply