Addis Ababa is hosting the IGAD Fisheries Coordination Platform Workshop which reflects on the performance and activities of the IGAD ECOFISH program at national and IGAD levels. The three days workshop which will be closed on August 18 is also aimed at strengthening inter-regional collaboration of the IGAD sub-region to promote sustainable, inclusive, and integrated management of fishery resources.

Ethiopia’s State Minister of Agriculture Fikru Regassa, IGAD’s Executive Secretary representative Abebe M. Beyene, and Madev Ballo, Regional Manager of EU’s Regional Sustainable Fisheries Management Program for Eastern Africa, Southern Africa, and Indian Ocean Region are among the participants of the workshop.

The workshop was opened by Fikru Regassa who revealed that fishery and aqua culture development were one of the targets of Ethiopia’s 10-year Strategic Development Plan and Agricultural Plan. The State Minister stated that Ethiopia would “closely collaborate with IGAD Secretariat regarding fishery development, management processes, and expected results of cooperation”.

Lack of attention to the fishery economic sector and lack of economic zones in IGAD member states were raised as setbacks for the development of the sector in the region. The workshop participants also pointed out that fishery activity in the region was largely illegal, unreported, and unregulated.

IGAD is one of the implementing partners of the ECOFISH Program which is a Cross-Regional Initiative funded by the eleventh European Development Fund to leverage regional cooperation for enhancing sustainable inland and marine fisheries in Eastern Africa, Southern Africa, and the Indian Ocean region.

Source (including image): Ethiopian News Agency

Additional source: IGAD