Since Tuesday, Lomé has hosted a three-day meeting organized by the African Union’s Inter-African Office of Animal Resources (AU-BIRA), with the support of Swedish cooperation (AIDS).
A meeting to strengthen Togo’s capacities in the fisheries, aquaculture and blue economy sectors.
Bringing together experts from about fifteen countries, the exchanges focus on the integration of major global fisheries resource management instruments, including the United Nations Agreement on Fish Stocks and mechanisms to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
« The challenge is to accelerate the ratification and implementation of global instruments for the management of aquatic biodiversity, » said Philippe Ouédraogo, representative of the UA-BIRA, referring to the benefits ranging from the transfer of technologies to the strengthening of institutional capacities.
The stakes are high for Togo. The fisheries sector contributes 1.4% of GDP and 4.5% of agricultural GDP, while constituting a vital source of protein and jobs for coastal communities.
However, domestic production remains insufficient, forcing the country to make massive use of imports.
source : republic of Togo
