UNOC3 Side Event launches strategic partnership for Ocean Research and Capacity Building
A significant step forward in international marine science cooperation was achieved on June 12 as Portuguese-speaking African Small Island Developing States (SIDS) committed to establishing Centers of Excellence in Marine Sciences. The initiative, presented during the official UNOC3 side event “Strengthening Marine Science and Capacity Building through the Establishment of Centers of Excellence in Portuguese-Speaking African SIDS,” was led by Cabo Verde’s Ministry of the Sea and Instituto do Mar (IMar) with support from the AIR Centre.
The comprehensive partnership brings together four island nations—Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste—alongside UNESCO’s SIDS Section and Germany’s GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. The collaboration aims to leverage existing scientific knowledge, regional infrastructure, and international cooperation to address critical oceanic challenges facing these vulnerable island communities.
The session gathered distinguished participation from key government officials and scientific leaders, underscoring the initiative’s strategic importance. Ministers from three African nations participated: H.E. Jorge Santos, Minister of Sea of Cabo Verde; H.E. Nilda Borges da Mata, Minister of Environment, Youth, Sustainable Tourism of São Tomé and Príncipe; and H.E. Viriato Soares Cassamá, Minister of Environment, Biodiversity, and Climate Action of Guinea-Bissau.
International organizations were represented by Mr. Vidar Helgesen, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanography Commission (IOC) and Assistant Director-General of UNESCO, and Professor Dr. Katja Matthes, Director of GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. The AIR Centre’s Executive Director Miguel Miranda and Yara Rodrigues, Board Member of Instituto do Mar – IMar (Cabo Verde), also participated in the discussions.
The initiative focuses on five strategic areas critical to building sustainable marine science capacity: strategic partnerships for blue science and innovation, youth capacity building with a dedicated focus on gender equality, evidence-based decision making for marine management, enhanced access to marine data and technologies, and fostering community innovation alongside regional cooperation.
The Centers of Excellence are designed to empower these communities with the knowledge, tools, and expertise needed to protect their marine environments while developing sustainable blue economies.
This represents a significant milestone in South-South cooperation, combining regional expertise with international scientific support to address some of the most pressing oceanic challenges facing island nations in the Atlantic and beyond.
Networking Friday on the Bioeconomy Mission in Colombia
On October 8th, 2021, 1-3 PM UTC, a fantastic panel will present and discuss the Bioeconomy Mission in Colombia, which was launched in December 2020, being the country’s first mission-oriented research policy in Colombia. The main goal of the Mission is to promote the socioeconomic development of the country, from and for the regions, through the efficient and sustainable management of biomass, biodiversity and its ecosystem services for the generation of products and processes with high added value through science, technology and innovation.
II International Seminar on Disaster Denaturalization and Community Mobilization
Webinar | First Meeting AIR Centre – Caribbean
On October 8th, 2021, 4-6 PM UTC, we introduced the AIR Centre | Caribbean and respective opportunities for an Atlantic basin collaboration. Caribbean countries and overseas territories have a long history of interactions and many common challenges and shared goals. Nonetheless, barriers for scientific and technological cooperation persist, which sometimes hampers the development of collaborative solutions to address climate change, biodiversity loss, destruction of habitats, natural hazards, marine pollution, unequal economic growth and its impacts on rural and urban livelihoods. Preserving and restoring Caribbean marine and coastal resources and fostering effective partnerships for small islands developing states will require stronger international cooperation not only within the region, but with other countries around the Atlantic Ocean as well.