Marine and coastal service beneficiaries in Ghana applaud crucial interventions by GMES & Africa
"GMES and Africa is the right project intervening at the right time, for the benefit of the fishing community in Ghana". These were the words of the President of the Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana, Nana Kweigyah. He was speaking at the launch of GMES & Africa consortium - Marine and Coastal Areas Management in North and West Africa (MarcNoWa). The launching was made on the 6th of July, to coincide with the conclusion of the GMES & Africa Continental Workshop on Marine and Coastal Services, held recently in Accra.
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The Coordinator of GMES & Africa Dr. Tidiane Ouattara, said Africa is endowed with massive aquatic and marine resources including oceans, seas, rivers and lakes, with potential for blue economy growth. He cited the trans-boundary rivers and lakes in Africa, with water bodies and wetlands that provide opportunities for fisheries, aquaculture, shipping, coastal tourism, offshore oil and gas, and energy mobilization. These opportunities, Dr. Ouattara went on, can change the narrative for the continent in socio-economic development, industrialization and job creation, especially for youth and women. He applauded the contributions of the University of Ghana and its technical partners towards transforming the use of marine services for sustainable development. The GMES & Africa Coordinator singled out the invaluable financial and technical assistance from the European Union, which has provided processing tools and Copernicus data for the development of various marine services.
The launching of the MarcNowa consortium did not only feature policy statements, but also testimonies from end users and beneficiaries. Representatives of the Fisheries Commission, the Maritime Authority, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Canoe and Fishing Gear Owner Association of Ghana attested to the transformative role GMES & Africa has played in supporting marine and coastal services in the country. The consortium has been instrumental in addressing early warning, protection, coastal vulnerability and resource management. Covering two African regions, it will work towards extending its services to Northern Africa with the provision of EO data, information, tools and products.
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MarcNoWa is the new GMES & Africa consortium executed by the University of Ghana, which was also a lead institution during the programme's first implementation phase. The consortium now covers Northern Africa and will be addressing marine and coastal challenges through the adoption and deployment of EO technology in policies and decision-making. Eighteen coastal countries will benefit from MarcNowa's EO applications. The ocean is the mainstay of Ghana's economy, says Professor Boateng Onwona Agyeman, Provost of the University of Ghana. This also comes with series of challenges such as piracy and human trafficking, noted Agyeman, who called for the protection of Africa's ocean and marine resources. Participating in GMES & Africa, he continued, is an opportunity for University of Ghana students to be part of problem solving for the country's fishing communities who lack adequate resources and facilities. The University of Ghana Provost believes GMES & Africa is an opportunity to foster more policies that can help harness the continent's blue economy.
The Coordinator of GMES & Africa Dr. Tidiane Ouattara, said Africa is endowed with massive aquatic and marine resources including oceans, seas, rivers and lakes, with potential for blue economy growth. He cited the trans-boundary rivers and lakes in Africa, with water bodies and wetlands that provide opportunities for fisheries, aquaculture, shipping, coastal tourism, offshore oil and gas, and energy mobilization. These opportunities, Dr. Ouattara went on, can change the narrative for the continent in socio-economic development, industrialization and job creation, especially for youth and women. He applauded the contributions of the University of Ghana and its technical partners towards transforming the use of marine services for sustainable development. The GMES & Africa Coordinator singled out the invaluable financial and technical assistance from the European Union, which has provided processing tools and Copernicus data for the development of various marine services.
The launching of the MarcNowa consortium did not only feature policy statements, but also testimonies from end users and beneficiaries. Representatives of the Fisheries Commission, the Maritime Authority, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Canoe and Fishing Gear Owner Association of Ghana attested to the transformative role GMES & Africa has played in supporting marine and coastal services in the country. The consortium has been instrumental in addressing early warning, protection, coastal vulnerability and resource management. Covering two African regions, it will work towards extending its services to Northern Africa with the provision of EO data, information, tools and products.
Watch the opening speech of Dr Tidiane Ouattara, who supervises and manages the GMES and Africa Support Programme on behalf the African Union Commission.
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