Africa-Press – Seychelles. Countries of the world must come and work together as one to protect our planet for the sustainability of our existence, President Wavel Ramkalwan has said.
He made the statement during the opening session of the Ocean Race Summit Seychelles that was held yesterday morning at the Eden Bleu Hotel, Eden Island.
In its 13th edition, the half-day Ocean Race Summit Seychelles was to address the lack of governance and protection for our seas, the impact of climate change and examine whether the ocean should be given rights.
President Ramkalawan said that our country as an oceanic state knows and has experienced the impact of climate change and it is the reason why as small as we are, we are doing our best to contribute our fair share to save the planet and its ocean and that other countries should also do the same.
President Ramkalawan commended the young people for taking their leaders to task with regard to protecting and preserving the oceans and the women for taking leading roles in the conservation of our planet.
He called on the world leaders to be more committed to protecting the planet and to transform the commitments into reality.
The summit, to help drive new and improved policies to tackle some of the most urgent issues facing our blue planet, is the first ever to be held in our country and in Africa.
Hosted by our country, the summit has been organised by the Ocean Race, the world’s toughest test of a team in sport and an industry leader in sustainability, and 11th Hour Racing, an international organisation that mobilises sailing, maritime and coastal communities with an innovative approach to inspire solutions for the ocean, in collaboration with The Danny Faure Foundation.
The opening ceremony was attended by Vice-President Ahmed Afif, former President Danny Faure, who is also the founder of The Danny Faure Foundation, ministers, the United Nations secretary general’s special envoy for the Ocean, Ambassador Peter Thomson, the chairman of the Ocean Race, Richard Brisius, local and foreign conservationists from around the world, among other guests.
In his opening remarks, former President Faure and founder of The Danny Faure Foundation and also an Ocean advocate, said on behalf of his foundation, that small island states like ours risk losing everything if global action is not amplified to sustain our livelihoods and that for future generations.
He added that many pledges to protect the Ocean have been made and actions witnessed over the years but still more is needed to accelerate efforts to protect the health of the Ocean taking into account that time is running out as Ocean ecosystem and resources are depleted at a rate faster than island and Ocean people can handle.
To continue with the advocacy for the protection and for conservation of the Ocean, former President Faure stated that the government, the Nairobi Convention, Nekton and The Danny Faure Foundation are collaborating on the development of a new regional initiative for the Western Indian Ocean, the first of its kind globally to ensure sustainable Ocean development, science-based management and protection. For his part, Mr Brisius, the chairman of the Ocean Race, said that the Ocean is indeed our number one life support system and we should eliminate all the horrible things that are happening to it.
He noted that while in sports we like fair play, there is no fair play to the Ocean and by giving it its rights, it will get the fair play to continue to supply us with the blue economy for future generations.
He stated that the harm done to the Ocean can be repaired if we start to respect its rights.
Ambassador Thomson said that it is not only the health of the Ocean that is being protected but also the health of our relationship with the Ocean which has caused the decline in the Ocean’s health.
He noted that if everything is done accordingly, the decline in the Ocean’s health can be stopped as from this year.
He commended our country’s cleanliness and for playing a leadership role in Ocean protection and conservation and climate change.
There were also words of encouragement through video from Velayoudom Marimoutou, secretary general for the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and from Patricia Scotland, secretary general Commonwealth of Nature.
At the end of the opening session, guests and other invitees met outside on the pool deck for the presentation of the Relay4Nature baton. It is an initiative of The Ocean Race which involves the passing of the baton from team to team, shining a spotlight on ocean leaders, innovators, and advocates. It carries messages encouraging a commitment to the ocean, highlighting the globally shared responsibility to protect marine ecosystems.
The baton was passed on to President Ramkalawan by Ambassador Thomson, who on accepting the baton passed it on to the principal secretary of the Blue Economy, Kenneth Racombo. Mr Racombo on his part passed the baton to 12-year-old Dorianne Bristol who, on behalf of our youth, pledged to be responsible and to be proactive guardians of the Ocean, marine life and the natural environment. The baton in its voyage across the Oceans will carry a message for the Ocean by President Ramkalawan.
Yesterday’s outcome on the rights of the Ocean will be put forward for discussion in the United Nation’s Ocean Conference to be held in June in Lisbon, Portugal.
The Ocean race started in 1973 while the Ocean race summit started during the 2014-2015 editions.
For More News And Analysis About Seychelles Follow Africa-Press
