Oman participates in IOTC meeting in Thailand

Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman is participating in the meeting of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), which began on Monday, May 13, 2024 in Bangkok in the Kingdom of Thailand.

The Sultanate, represented by the Ministry of Agriculture , Fisheries and Water Resources, participates in the meeting of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, which began today in Bangkok in the Kingdom of Thailand and continues until May 17.

 Oman’s delegation to the meeting was headed by His Excellency Engineer Yaqoub bin Khalfan Al Busaidi, Undersecretary for Fisheries Resources.

 The meeting discuss a number of topics in the Compliance Committee, the Fisheries Management Standards Committee, and the Administration and Financial Affairs Committee. In addition to the meeting of the Commission's main committee for delegations of member states. The Group of 16 meeting will also be held, which includes coastal countries in the Indian Ocean.

 In its speech during the meeting, the Sultanate touched on the efforts made to build a productive and diversified economy, based on innovation, integration of roles and equal opportunities, to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development based on the milestones set by the Oman Vision 2040 plan, which is considered the national reference for economic and social planning for the period 2021-2040, and the source of national strategies and five-year development plans, taking into account the economic and social reality, objective outlook, and the ability to keep pace with local, regional and global changes.

 It stressed the importance it attaches to the tuna fisheries issues being discussed within the framework of this regional fisheries organization in the Indian Ocean at a time when efforts are being made to achieve a productive fish sector that is environmentally sustainable and an effective contributor to the economy.

 It is noteworthy that Oman joined the Indian Ocean Tuna Fisheries Commission in 2000 AD. The Commission is concerned with legislation and laws regulating tuna fisheries in the Indian Ocean. Its membership includes 31 countries with full membership and two countries with non-contracting cooperative membership.