BD raises voice for healthy oceans at UN conference

“The time is now to move from words to actions to conserve and sustainably use our oceans, seas and marine resources,” said Khurshed Alam, secretary of Maritime Affairs Unit of Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He made the remarks while addressing the plenary session of high-level UN ocean conference to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development in New York on Wednesday.

While speaking on behalf of LDC group, the secretary highlighted the importance of ocean to humankind as a major source of food, livelihood, climate regulator in the world, according to a message received in the city from New York on Thursday.

He said that LDCs are badly exposed to continuous pollution of oceans and unsustainable exploitation of marine resources and ocean warming, though our contribution to these degradations is insignificant.

For moving ahead, he highlighted seven concrete points, important for LDCs, for implementation of the time specific ambitious targets of SDG 14 which include, awareness raising at all levels on ocean pollution, suitable fiscal policies and science-policy interface, prohibition of certain forms of fisheries subsidies and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

He particularly called on G7 and other developed states for meaningful transfer of marine and other technologies to LDCs, capacity building, effective partnership at all levels, new and predictable funding and exploration of new sources of financing for LDCs in line with already agreed different agreements and frameworks.

This week-long ocean conference started on June 5, 2017 where 14 heads of state and government, and many high-level delegations from all over the world gathered to express solidarity for conservation and sustainable use of marine resources.

Apart from delivering statement at the plenary, Bangladesh actively participated in seven thematic partnership dialogues flagging our relevant concerns and arranged two side events in the margin of the conference.

Bangladesh also registered three voluntary commitments on curbing plastic bag use, enhancing ecological sustainability of our mangrove forest, fish and other marine species and afforestation.