Seychelles celebrates opening of International Secretariat in Victoria
VICTORIA, 28 May 2019. The FiTI International Secretariat was officially opened today in Victoria. The ceremony was attended by the President of Seychelles, Danny Faure, Vice-President Meriton, members of the government and the diplomatic corps, as well national and international stakeholders within the fisheries sector.The ceremony took place at La Salle Maritime, Statehouse.
The FiTI International Secretariat is currently hosted by the HUMBOLDT-VIADRINA Governance Platform, a non-profit organization in Berlin, Germany. From this week on, the FiTI Headquarter will be officially based in the Seychelles. The relocation process is expected to be finalised by the end of this year.
The launch follows through on a commitment made by Mr. Meriton on behalf of the Seychelles at the “Our Ocean Conference 2018” in Bali, Indonesia.
“Transparency is a prerequisite for informed public debates on fisheries policies and for achieving meaningful participation in fisheries decision-making. Seychelles has been sincerely committed to the FiTI from its beginning, seeing it as essential for our work in advancing a sustainable blue economy. Like Seychelles, a number of countries around the world have already started to implement the FiTI. But in order to achieve a global level playing field of transparency, the FiTI needs a permanent headquarter. We are therefore proud to be the new home of its international secretariat. My government is strongly convinced that the FiTI and its underlying multi-stakeholder paradigm will be of great value for governments all around the world, but also the fishing industry, artisanal fishers, civil society and investors,” said Vice-President Meriton.
On behalf of the FiTI International Board, the global Secretariat and all the actors who are promoting and already implementing the FiTI across the globe, Mr. Biermann, Director of the FiTI International Secretariat, thanked President Faure and the government of the Seychelles for making the beautiful island of Mahé the new home of the FiTI. He emphasised the importance of a permanent home for the FiTI, rooted in a true fishing country, for being able to engage with all actors from around the globe and seeking to establish a global level playing field of transparency and participation in marine fisheries.
Speech from Mr. Vincent Meriton, Vice President of the Republic of Seychelles
Speech from Mr. Sven Biermann, Director of the FiTI International Secretariat
