Ocean, maritime issues and fisheries will again be highlighted in the forthcoming 8th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM8), in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14.
This was confirmed by the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) Fiji resident director, Yukari Ono. She was speaking at the two-day JICAUSP School of Marine Studies Joint Symposium on Future International Co-operation and Human Resource Development in Marine Science and Fisheries.
Ms Ono said Oceans, Maritime issues and Fisheries had been one of the key areas discussed at PALM organised by the Government of Japan since 1997. PALM8 will be held in Iwaki, Japan, in May, this year.
Ms Ono said the two-day symposium would enhance essential human resources in the Maritime and Fisheries sector to secure the development for Pacific Island countries.
This symposium is very timely since SDG14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources’ has been recognised as one of the priorities for the Pacific region, through the recent important events such as Pacific Islands Forum meeting as well as the UN Ocean Conference in June 2017 which was co-hosted by the Fiji Government, she said.
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