Ambassador Jessye Lapenn said a scholarship and exchange program would be established through cooperation to foster excellence and build ties among the next generation of scientists. Photo: Hamza Alkali/Radio Nigeria
United States has described the creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy as an initiative that will not only boost the economy but also pay attention to the actualization of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Ambassador Jessye Lapenn, a Senior Coordinator for Atlantic Cooperation, US Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, stated this in Abuja during a media roundtable.
Ambassador Lapenn said she was in Nigeria to follow up on the Declaration on Atlantic Cooperation between countries bordering the Atlantic Ocean, to interface with the minister of marine and blue economy, and to explore areas of collaboration.
The Atlantic Cooperation was created on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States, and outlined for participating countries the promotion of scientific cooperation by sharing information, building capacity, and increasing access to technology on voluntary and mutually agreed terms.
Ambassador Lapenn explained that the countries in the Atlantic cooperation would work together to address the challenges of climate change, natural disasters, and environmental degradation, collaborating on science-based, innovative solutions to advance their shared goals.
The declaration for Atlantic cooperation was released by the Governments of Angola, Argentina, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Canada, Costa Rica and Cote d’Ivoire.
Others include the Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana and Iceland.
Other participating countries in the Atlantic Cooperation are Ireland, Liberia, Mauritania, Morocco, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, and Portugal.
The Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Spain, Togo, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uruguay make up the rest.
Reporting by Hamza Alkali; Editing by Chinasa Ossai, Julian Osamoto and Tony Okerafor