News

A Regional Symposium on Sustainable Development Goal 14 - Life below Water (Blue SDG) organized by the Ministry of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Development and Rural Economy in cooperation with the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Colombo, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be held on 21st and 22nd June in Colombo. It will be ceremonially inaugurated by Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Finance and Mass Media with the participation of Hon. Wijith Wijayamuni Zoysa, Minister of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Development and Rural Economy and Hon. Jens Frolich Holte, State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway at 0900 h on 21st.

Senior officials and experts dealing with Blue SDG in the costal nations bordering the Bay of Bengal that include the Maldives, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia are expected to participate in the Symposium together with Sri Lankan officials and experts. In addition, the Government of Norway is also sending a delegation for the Symposium. Representatives from Foreign Missions and International Agencies located in Colombo are also due to participate.

Blue SDG requires sustainable management of living marine resources that support fisheries and gives a number of targets to achieve before 2025. This has posed a new challenge to coastal nations. This Symposium was organized since it was identified that a collective action from the neighbouring countries will provide a better approach to face this challenge. The objectives of the Regional Symposium are to exchange country approaches, analyse the challenges and develop a collective programme on sustainable management of living marine resources in the Bay of Bengal Region.

The Symposium will coincide with the arrival of the UN/Norway Research Vessel Dr. Fridjot of Nansen in the Colombo port to undertake a research cruise in the Bay of Bengal Region including the Exclusive Economic Zone of Sri Lanka.