New Delhi, June 11 (IANS) India and Norway on Wednesday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen ties on sustainable ocean governance and fisheries at the ongoing UN Ocean Conference in France.

The Indian delegation led by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh held a ‘bilateral’ with Marianne Sivertsen Ness, Norway’s Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy.

The two Ministers exchanged views on enhancing bilateral cooperation in ocean governance, reflecting on the long-standing partnership between India and Norway in the fisheries sector.

The discussion also covered shared priorities such as sustainable use of marine resources, improved data-sharing mechanisms, and joint efforts to tackle challenges like overfishing and marine pollution.

“India and Norway reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen collaboration on sustainable ocean governance and fisheries during a bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), currently underway in Nice, France,” the Ministry of Earth Sciences said in a statement.

The Ministers acknowledged the significance of international cooperation in achieving the goals of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). They laid emphasis on knowledge exchange, capacity building, and technology sharing for the shared goal.

The Ministers also explored opportunities to build on existing India-Norway collaborations, particularly in areas aligned with the development of a sustainable and inclusive blue economy.

The UNOC3, taking place from June 9 to 13, has brought together global leaders, scientists, policymakers, and industry representatives to discuss collective actions toward ocean health, sustainable development, and climate resilience.

Earlier at the conference, Singh also pushed for a global ocean pact and unveiled major strides in deep-sea exploration, marine plastic clean-up, and sustainable fisheries.

Singh highlighted progress on the Deep Ocean Mission’s upcoming manned submersible, a nationwide single-use plastic ban, and over $80 billion worth of the ‘Blue Economy’ projects.

India also backed the swift ratification of the BBNJ Agreement, advocated for a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty, and launched the ‘SAHAV’ digital ocean data portal, underscoring its growing leadership in global marine governance.

–IANS

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