Today, Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra participated in the "High Level Foreign Government Panel" at Georgetown University, in the context of the Our Ocean conference held in Washington, D.C. on 15 and 16 September.
Malcorra shared the panel with President of the COP21 and French Minister of Environment, Energy and Marine Affairs, Segoléne Royal, Swedish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for International Development Cooperation and Climate, Isabella Lövin, Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Panama, Isabel Saint Malo, and Minister of Environment of Panama, Mirei Endara. In addition, the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, participated in the closing remarks.
Our Ocean is focused on four topics: marine protected areas, sustainable fishing, marine pollution, and climate-related impact on the ocean, with a view to the protection and preservation of oceans for future generations.
In keeping with the traditional and permanent Argentine presence in the South Atlantic, Argentina carries out marine research activities—coordinated at the national level under the Pampa Azul initiative—aimed at shared, participatory and coordinated action by all entities relating to the Argentine sea. Further, Argentina promotes the creation of Marine Protected Areas in its maritime spaces, for the purpose of significantly reducing the biodiversity loss rate.
In the field of sustainable fishing, since the current federal regime came into force in 1998, Argentina has fostered maritime fishing with a view to reaching the highest possible level of development, compatible with the rational use of living marine resources. Further, Argentina has four national action plans in place against illegal, undeclared, unregulated fishing for the preservation of various species.
In the context of the conference, a joint statement was signed by Argentina, Australia, Canada, United States, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Switzerland and Uruguay, among other countries. The joint statement discusses the commitment to work, together with other members of the World Trade Organization, on the preparation of negotiations at the WTO towards eliminating and prohibiting fisheries subsidies that jeopardize the sustainability of marine resources.
This is particularly important for fishing sustainability and for the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda sustainable development goals, to which Argentina is committed.
Press release No. 305/16.
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