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Honourable Rt Patricia Scotland
KC, Secretary General of the Commonwealth,
Your excellency Prime Minister
of Tonga,
Honourable Ministers,
Esteemed guests,
Good evening and welcome to the
beautiful island of Cyprus.
Allow me to extend a heartfelt
welcome and sincere appreciation to each one of you for embracing this
inaugural Commonwealth Ocean Ministers Meeting in Cyprus with your presence.
Cyprus is honoured to have the
opportunity to host and organise this significant gathering, stemming from
our commitment expressed after the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
in Kigali, Rwanda, back in June 2022. At that pivotal gathering, the Heads of
Governments acknowledged the imperative for conserving and sustainably
utilising our oceans, seas and marine resources.
Tomorrow marks a historic
moment as we convene the first-ever Commonwealth ministerial meeting focused
solely on the ocean. Under the overarching theme of "Our resilient
common ocean: from Cyprus to Samoa", this meeting aims to cultivate a
unified Commonwealth stance on oceanic issues.
Through the exchange of
insights and experiences regarding the implementation of international
commitments and the Commonwealth Blue Charter, we endeavour to outline the
principles, priorities and actions that will shape the future Commonwealth
Ocean Declaration. Our collective aim is to chart a course and establish a
timeline that will culminate in the adoption of this Declaration at the Head
of Governments Meeting in Samoa in a few months.
As a maritime nation, Cyprus
acknowledges the immense value our seas and oceans hold not only for our
economy but also for our cultural identity. We are steadfast in our
conviction that intensified efforts are imperative to conserve marine
ecosystems and safeguard marine life.
Cyprus recognises that the
challenges our oceans are facing are monumental and cannot be tackled
single-handedly by any nation.
Shipping is a sector which is
of great pride to the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. It is well known
that Cyprus is a fully fledged maritime centre, comprised of a quality ship
registry and a maritime cluster providing ship management services and numerous
other shipping related services.
Your Excellencies, ladies and
gentlemen,
I am very pleased to inform you
that the first National Maritime Spatial Plan was recently approved by the
Council of Ministers and has already entered into force. Through the Maritime
Spatial Plan, the Republic aims to contribute to the sustainable development
of the Blue Economy as well as the protection, preservation and improvement
of the marine environment. It is envisaged that the plan will encourage
investments in the marine waters of the Republic by creating predictability,
transparency and clearer licensing rules.
I want to assure you that,
despite the current turbulent times and the various challenges we face, the
Shipping Deputy Ministry stays firm in its commitment to navigating a course
towards a more efficient, sustainable and prosperous future for shipping and
maritime affairs.
In closing, I extend my best
wishes for a successful and fruitful deliberation as we embark on the
inaugural Commonwealth Ocean Ministers Meeting tomorrow and, of course,
wishing all an enjoyable stay in the island of Aphrodite, the goddess of love
and beauty, here at the beautiful Aphrodite Hills Resort! A small gift with
traditional products will be available for you at the end of the reception,
which we hope you enjoy.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the
Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment of the
Republic of Cyprus, Dr Maria Panayiotou, for her welcome address, which will
be followed by the address of the Honourable Rt Patricia Scotland KC,
Secretary General of the Commonwealth, whom we have the great honour to have
here with us at this important gathering.
(IA/GS)
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