Sen. The Hon. Leslie Campbell, Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, is calling for more visibility of the challenges experienced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS) seeking to transition into sustainable and resilient ocean economies. Minister Campbell who represented Prime Minister Andrew Holness at the 25th Sherpa Meeting of the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy in Mexico City (May 9-10) is also advocating for a “scaling up of ocean financing, for SIDS to better undertake effective ocean-based climate actions.”
“In terms of working to reach our ambitions, and not leave anyone behind, it might be necessary for the Panel to expand its engagement and partnerships with new actors, such as international financial institutions and regional development banks, in order to scale up financing of the Ocean Agenda,” the Minister noted. He was also insistent that the Draft Joint Statement prepared by the Panel’s Secretariat for the upcoming United Nations (UN) Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal (June 27-July1) consists of language that clearly reflects critical importance of access to ocean finance for SIDS.
On steps taken to sustainably manage 100 per cent of Jamaica’s national waters, the State Minister reported on the role of the National Council on Coastal and Ocean Zone Management (NCOCZM), “which formulates marine sector policies and promotes public awareness of the importance of marine resources to sustainable development.” He also updated the meeting on the Overarching Protected Area Policy, “which seeks to provide the framework for the regulation of over 300 protected areas in the country, including marine and national parks and fish sanctuaries.”
Minister Campbell also shared that “the Government of Jamaica’s (GoJ’s) ban on the importation, manufacture, distribution and use of certain types of plastics imposed in 2019, is expected to reduce the volume of plastic waste and marine litter.” He also invited the Panel to share best Sustainable Ocean plan practices and experiences, “to facilitate the expansion of the knowledge base across the membership (of the Panel) and assist the regions represented.”
Jamaica, represented by the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, ON, PC, MP, Prime Minister, has been part of the sixteen-member High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy since 2018, with Minister Campbell assuming the role of Sherpa (PM’s representative) since June 2021. The other members are Australia, Canada, Chile, Fiji, France, Ghana, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Namibia, Norway, Mexico, Palau, Portugal and the United States of America.
