2023-08-30 06:00:00
The 8th Meeting of Senior Officials of the Archipelago and Island States (AIS) has been held since yesterday at the Novotel Ivandry. An event bringing together senior officials, ambassadors and representatives of regional organizations of the archipelagos and member islands of the AIS Forum, of which Madagascar is a part with 51 archipelagic nations.
The discussion yesterday revolved around topics of common interest and issues related to the oceans, including the blue economy, sustainable development, climate change, conservation of marine resources. Small island states still pay the highest price for climate change for which they are not responsible.
This forum is of particular importance for Madagascar as the 4th island in the world, with maritime areas three times larger than its land area. “This 8th meeting of senior officials of the Forum of Archipelago and Island States is an important opportunity for us to meet the environmental challenges we are facing”, underlined the Malagasy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yvette Sylla, yesterday in her speech.
The AIS Forum has made it possible to obtain concrete training in the use of water and drinking water recycling machines, training for fifty fishermen in fishing techniques in the pelagic seas or training for marine tourist guides in Sainte-Marie and Nosy-Be.
The first Forum of Archipelago and Island States (AIS), was organized by Indonesia, and was held on the island of Celebes in 2018. The objective of this forum is to face the challenges of climate change, ocean pollution and natural disasters to which these countries are particularly exposed.
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