VP Meriton heads Seychelles delegation to 1st UN Ocean Conference |06 June 2017

Vice-President, Vincent Meriton is leading a 21 member Seychelles delegation to the first United Nations Ocean Conference, taking place in New York between June 5 to 92017 in conjunction with the World Oceans Day celebrated annually on June 8.

Generally aimed at identifying ways and means to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 “To conserve and use the Oceans, Seas and Marine Resources for sustainable development…”,this international gathering will bring together governments, the United Nations system, other inter-governmental organisations, international financial institutions, non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations, academic institutions, the scientific community, the private sector, philanthropic organisations and other relevant stakeholders to share ideas, experiences and best practices, focusing on challenges and opportunities associated with the realisation of Goal 14.

Through the conference and a number of other side events to be held on the margins of the main gathering, Seychelles will be showcasing and sharing its experience in ocean governance and the Blue Economy, especially with regard to innovative finance and marine conservation, while pursuing potential collaboration and assistance for the further development of its Blue Economy.Seychelles has also already registered some 18 voluntary contributions in preparation for the historic conference.

Vice-President Meriton is expected to address the conference with an intervention on the Seychelles experience on June 6 in the plenary session.

It is expected that the UN Ocean Conference, co-hosted by the governments of Fiji and Sweden, will adopt by consensus an inter-governmentally agreed declaration in the form of a “Call for Action”, to support the implementation of SDG14.