Friday 19 / April / 2024
Muscat: The Conference on “Ocean Economy and Future Technology”, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, began at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said, Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan, Chairman of The Research Council.
The conference is part of the International Forum for Science and Technology Diplomacy (IFSTD).
The three-day conference hosts more than 900 participants, 80 exhibitors and 86 speakers and international experts representing 30 countries.
Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, said in a press statement after the opening ceremony that the conference aims to identify the new technologies in the oceans economy and benefiting from them to enrich the economy. He explained that the participation of the world in this aspect is important, expressing the hope that this positive step achieves its goals.
Youth development
On his turn, Dr. Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani, GCC Secretary General praised the development witnessed by the Sultanate in all fields, especially in the areas of scientific research, youth development and economic advancement under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.
He added that the conference is considered to be a pioneer and is hosted by the Sultanate as the first Arab country in the region. It focuses on the economy of the oceans and seas, science and technology and the use of diplomacy in science and economics, linking these areas to the interests of countries, especially the seaside countries.
Abdul Salam bin Mohammed Al Morshedi, CEO of the State General Reserve Fund, said that the next three days will discuss the scientific, economic, legislative and academic aspects of the research, pointing out that the conference will focus on economy and diplomacy. He affirmed that the oceans are a “common factor” for many countries in the world and a main element of economy, calling for intensified cooperation among countries of the world through diplomacy and strengthening the political relations and economic partnerships.
For his part, Peter Thomson, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for the Oceans, stressed the importance of the conference and its efforts to develop ideas in support of the United Nations Programme on Sustainable Development. He added that the conference is a platform for discussing topics related to science and technology diplomacy.
The Conference seeks to achieve many objectives of exploring the current and future sectors associated with the ocean economy, sharing knowledge and international case studies and identifying priorities and standards for a sustainable ocean economy.
The conference also seeks to develop global awareness of ocean sustainability through science and technology diplomacy, highlight future technology and innovation in the ocean economy and promoting international cooperation in the ocean economy.
The conference targets workers in various sectors related to oil and gas, renewable energy, mining, fisheries, future technology, aquaculture, marine logistics, manufacturing industries, relevant academic, research and training institutes, food and pharmaceutical sectors, cosmetics and media institutions.
The conference addresses topics such as aquaculture and fisheries “towards new processes and modern technologies” and ocean energy, including oil and gas technology, renewable energy, ocean depths, logistics and maritime transport.
The conference will be accompanied by various events, the most important of which are the Industry and Technology Exhibition, a workshop on the Science and Policy Coherence, and a meeting for the International Network of Foreign Ministers’ Advisors on Science and Technology.
