The Fisheries Committee for the West
Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) participated in the Third Ordinary Session of the
African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)’s Specialized
Technical Committee (STC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 21 to 24 October 2019.
The session focused on Agriculture, Rural
Development, Water and Environment (ARDWE). The STC reviewed progress made in
the implementation of AU and STC decisions. They also discussed and adopted
reports and recommendations that were presented to the relevant Ministers for
consideration and onward submission to the Executive Council.
In her opening statement, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture H.E Amb. Josepha Sacko highlighted the increasing importance of fisheries and the blue economy in food security and social development. Participants included technical experts from the AU Member States and experts from AUDA-NEPA, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and partner institutions.
The STC endorsed two institutions in the FCWC region as African Union Centres of Excellence: the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, University of Cape Coast (Ghana) for academic training in Marine Fishery and Coastal Zones Management; and University of Ibadan (Nigeria) for academic training in Aquaculture and Inland Fisheries. The STC also endorsed the ten-year action plan for Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries Development in Africa, and requested the Commission, RECs and Member States to support its implementation.
