The Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe, Jorge Bom Jesus, called on Tuesday in Lisbon for more support from the international community to boost the blue economy and “correct the deficit” of employment in the country.
“Sao Tomé and Príncipe would very much like to benefit from additional financial supportadapted to the real conditions and modalities of our country, in order to allow us to consolidate our capacities to fully achieve the objectives set within the framework of the strategy to favor blue growth, the public-private initiative and correct our deficit in terms of employment and entrepreneurship of our youth, men and women”, said the head of government of São Tomé, in his speech at the plenary session of the second day of the United Nations Conference on the Oceans, which takes place in Lisbon.
The good Jesus said that the The “current growth model” in São Tomé and Príncipe exerts “strong pressure on the aquatic ecosystem and the oceans, as well as on the rights of the communities in the coastal and riparian zones”, which “urges to be reverted”.
“It is imperative that everyone, and in particular the international community, begin to see São Tomé and Príncipe with eyes to see, in the sense of doing everything possible to support the country to be materially, financially and institutionally up to its potential. oceanic and the goals set in this regard”, said the Prime Minister of São Tomé.
Jorge Bom Jesus recalled that the country, made up of two islands, “has a large exclusive economic zone that is 160 times larger than the land areawith significant potential for its economic and social development, associated with an ocean economy”.
The prime minister said that São Tomé and Príncipe’s parliament should approve “in the coming weeks” new legislation for the “national strategy for the transition to a blue economy” in São Tomé and Príncipe.
“I assure you that soon after the approval of the law by the National Assembly, nothing will be like before. Everything we can do will be aligned with the axes and pillars on which the national strategy is based, demanding, both at the national institutional level and in the relationship plan with our partners, the alignment of their indicative programs with our strategy”, he added. . . .
Bom Jesus left the “firm commitment and commitment” of the authorities of his country to continue “on the path of implementing a sustained and resilient transition process” of the national economy “towards the blue economy”.
In his speech, the official also left an appeal about crime in the Gulf of Guinea.
“I want you not to forget the phenomenon of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and the need to join efforts to combat it,” said Jorge Bom Jesus.
Source: Observadora
