The President of the Republic of Namibia, His Excellency Dr. Hage G. Geingob, joins Namibians and the rest of the world in commemorating World Oceans Day under the theme "Planet Ocean: Tides Are Changing".
In his message, President Geingob says:
"World Oceans Day 2023 is celebrated under the theme “Planet Ocean: Tides Are Changing”, a reminder and a call to action to protect and preserve our oceans. Namibia is on the cusp of pioneering the production of oil, gas and renewable energy, industries that all boast unmatched potential to transform the face of Namibia’s economic advancement and, moreover, improve the lives of Namibians. An abundance of natural resources requires the full utilisation of our oceans and therefore places an onus on us to be deliberate in instituting mechanisms to safeguard the ocean against all harmful practices.
As part of its commitment to ocean conservation, Namibia joined the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, which is comprised of 14 member states. Furthermore, to solidify its dedication to protecting the ocean, Namibia launched the Transformations Document for a Sustainable Ocean Economy in 2020, which outlines our nation’s 100% vision for good ocean management and a headline commitment to establish and enact Sustainable Ocean Plans by 2025.
Oceans are vital to human life on our beloved planet Earth, and for Namibia, they provide a remarkable tourism gateway to our spectacular coastline, which is also where the desert uniquely meets the ocean. The impact of the ocean on the world, and Namibia in particular, cannot be overemphasised.
As an example, maritime transport accounts for 85 percent of all our domestic trade, while marine diamonds are the largest commodity and the biggest contributor to our GDP. Additionally, Namibia’s thriving fisheries sector provides employment and economic prosperity to thousands of Namibians, as well as food security.
Namibia’s economic future and the livelihoods of many of its people are highly dependent on the state of our ocean. It is therefore important for us to pull together to ensure the sustainability of our ocean and its resources. Now more than ever, it is imperative to collaborate in promoting sustainable development in the blue economy and investing in renewable energy, marine tourism, and sustainable aquaculture for economic growth. Let us conserve our oceans and coastal areas and safeguard marine life from harmful effects.
Together, we bear the responsibility to protect and restore our ocean's health and foster a sustainable ocean economy.
I join the Namibians and the global fraternity to commemorate this year’s World Ocean Day."
About World Oceans Day:
World Oceans Day is an international day that takes place annually on 8 June. The concept was originally proposed in 1992 by Canada's International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD) and the Ocean Institute of Canada (OIC) at the Earth Summit—UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. "World Oceans Day" was officially recognised by the United Nations in 2008. This international day supports the implementation of worldwide Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and fosters public interest in the protection of the ocean and the sustainable management of its resources.
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Namibian Presidency
