13th Monaco Blue Initiative   Minister Ferrari delivers keynote speech at high-level ocean meet |24 March 2022

Delegates in a souvenir photograph. Minister Ferrari is second from left, front row

Designated Minister Jean-Francois Ferrari, who is also the Minister for Fisheries and the Blue Economy, represented Seychelles at the 13th Monaco Blue Initiative hosted by the Principality of Monaco on Monday this week.

The Monaco Blue Initiative (MBI) is an exclusive and annual event organised by Prince Albert II of the Monaco Foundation and the Oceanographic Institute of Monaco, which brings together key players in the ocean domain to a unique discussion platform, to holistically deliberate over global challenges in regards to ocean management and conservation.

The MBI has been described as a ‘hotspot’ for ocean-related discussions.

Minister Ferrari received an official invitation to physically participate in this momentous event and in the bilateral meetings organised in the margins of the MBI.

The minister delivered an inspirational keynote address at the main event, where he highlighted the unique predicament of small island developing states (Sids), which was largely exemplified with a holistic account of Seychelles’ long-lasting relationship with the ocean and the Seychelles’ blue economy experience.

In his intervention, Minister Ferrari stated that “The dilemma in this situation remains how to reconcile conservation of our marine environment while allowing economic development to take place within this same space. The answer we found is simple and is one we are proud to share with the world. It is the Blue Economy development model!”.

Other prominent in-person participants at this event were HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, and H.E. Mr. John Kerry, the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate in the U.S.A, both of whom were seated at the same table as Minister Ferrari, and with whom the minister had very fruitful and promising sideline discussions.

Minister Ferrari equally had the opportunity to attend a high-level roundtable side event entitled ‘The Blue Road to Lisbon and SDG14 UN Conference’ that was organised under the aegis of the MBI, in preparation of the upcoming UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon.

The minister also engaged in a series of bilateral meetings with the Monaco Explorations, the Directorate of Diplomatic and Consular Relations, and high-level representatives of HSH Prince Albert II’s secretariat, where he engaged in thorough, constructive and thematic discussions on the upcoming Monaco exploration in the Indian Ocean, and other official matters of notable

Press release from the Ministry of Fisheries & the Blue Economy