The Overseas Countries and Territories – partnerships for conservation and sustainable use of our oceans (UN Ocean Conference side-event)

This event was organized under the aegis of the UN Ocean Conference, in the framework of the side-events taking place on-site. It was open to all participants to the UN Ocean Conference that were accredited to attend. The Event focused on the need for regional cooperation in achieving Goal 14, as well as on the efforts that have already been made. At the core of the event were the 13 Overseas Countries and Territories of the European Union. It created a space where our oceanic states and territories express, discuss and present the work that has been, is and will be done in our regions.

The event took place on Friday 1 July, 16:00-17:15 (Lisbon time) in the Interactive Dialogue Room inside the Conference venue, the Altice Arena. It was held in English. The event will be web-streamed on the UN Web TV – you can follow it live (and recorded) here.

Agenda:

Part I – Keynote speakers

• Heremoana Maamaatuaiahutapu, French Polynesia Minister for Culture, Environment and Marine Resources, OCTA Representative

Part II – Panel Discussion

• Mr Christophe Misseli, Senior Advisor for Marine Resources to French Polynesia Minister of environment, culture and Marine resources, OCTA Representative
• Ms Kate Brown, Executive Director of the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA)
• Mr Romain Riollet, Head of the Energy Unit within the Department of Sustainable Development, Expertise France
• Mr Ahab Downer, Director for the EU funded Green Overseas Programme

Part III – Interventions from other Ministers present

• Mr Ursell Arends, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Integrity, Nature and Senior Affairs of Aruba
• Ms Dorothy Pietersz-Janga, Minister of Health, Environment and Nature of Curaçao
• Mr Melvin Turnbull, Minister of Natural Resources and Labour of the British Virgin Islands

Moderator

• Mr Andrei Moarcas, OCTA Senior Environment & Energy Advisor

About the organizers:

OCTA and its partners are strongly committed to the achievement of Goal 14. The event aims to build on their experiences and commitments.

OCTA serves as a platform through which the OCTs realise their common goals by working collectively through cooperation, policy dialogue, promotion of common positions and partnerships for the sustainable development of OCTs.

Expertise France is managing the Green Overseas Programme, an inter-OCT cooperation programme that aims at contributing to the sustainable, resilient & inclusive development of EU OCTs and UK OTs. More specifically, the GO Programme aims to further develop their energy transition and to increase their climate change resilience. In addition, it also manages the RESEMBID programme, supporting the work of the Caribbean OCTs with a EUR 39.62 million programme.

GLISPA – the Global Island Partnership supports the implementation of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) as a platform for successful island collaboration to showcase our collective biodiversity achievements, disseminate new projects and initiatives, and highlight ongoing vulnerabilities and challenges.

For more information, please contact Andrei Moarcas – Environment & Energy Advisor at: andrei@overseas-association.eu