26 July 2021
The fourth workshop of the Abyssal Initiative for Blue Growth Project: Environmental Management & Monitoring Workshop - gets well underway this morning with participants tuning in virtually. Local participants include government agencies, traditional and religious leaders, NGO's as well as our SBM Advisory Committee.
The workshop is jointly organised with the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD).
This 4-day conference intends to give participants a better understanding of what is required to ensure the sound and stringent environmental management and monitoring of deep-seabed related activities in the international Area.
The Authority has organised for Rarotonga participants to gather in person at the Muri Beach Club Hotel in order to maximise engagement in the workshop for local participants.
Presentations will be mostly virtual, with local based speakers presenting in person at the Muri Beach Club Hotel, including Gerald McCormack, Rima Browne and Eusenio Fatialofa.
This morning Prime Minister Mark Brown and Deputy Prime Minister Robert Tapaitau and gave opening remarks. Prime Minister Brown commented on how pleased he was to see the high-level participation from the Cook Islands, noting that this is a testament to the importance given to ongoing inclusive and transparent engagement. "This will help raise our collective awareness and knowledge, so that we as a country can better engage in seabed related issues," said Prime Minister Brown.
END.