非洲蓝色经济论坛2019:女性应成为推动非洲蓝色经济的关键

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ABEF2019：

女性应成为推动非洲蓝色经济的关键

来源：NewAfricanWoman

Leila Ben Hassen

ABEF（非洲蓝色经济论坛）的组织者

非洲蓝色经济论坛（ABEF）的组织者宣布，继去年在伦敦成功举办第一届非洲蓝色经济论坛后，第二届非洲蓝色经济论坛将于6月25日至26日在突尼斯举行。今年，论坛将重点关注非洲女性在这一重要经济发展部门中的角色。

这个由莱拉·本·哈森（Leila Ben Hassen）建立的新兴而有声望的组织为海洋利益攸关方提供了一个独特的平台，以分享实现SDG14（Sustainable Development Goal 14，可持续发展目标14：养护和可持续利用海洋和海洋资源以促进可持续发展）这一目标的方法，展示传统和新兴海洋产业中的投资机会，同时促进公私伙伴关系和伙伴网络建设。

“今年的论坛被设计成一个行动导向的平台，旨在为非洲年轻人建立伙伴关系、促进投资并最终创造就业机会，同时让更多的非洲女性成为蓝色经济价值链的一部分”Leila Ben Hassen女士说，她同时也是Blue Jay Communication（BJC）的创始人和CEO。

身为突尼斯人的莱拉·本·哈森女士介绍说：“我们选择突尼斯作为主办2019年非洲蓝色经济论坛的城市，是由于它独特的地理位置和历史。突尼斯是重要的海上贸易中心，是欧洲和非洲十字路口上的经济枢纽...它长期以来一直处在阿拉伯语称为‘Ifriqiya’的领土的中心地带，在罗马时期又被称为‘非洲省’（Province of Africa），并由此得到现在的名称。”

女性必须是非洲蓝色经济的核心

去年11月，非洲联盟委员会女性、性别与发展局局长Mahawa Kaba-Wheeler在她发表的一篇社论中对蓝色经济的重要性发表看法，认为蓝色经济应该被称为“非洲复兴新前沿”。这个几乎三分之二的州都有海岸线，拥有90%海上贸易的大陆具有巨大的潜力。如果管理得当，将有数万亿美元的收益，并可以将巨大的经济增长与环境保护相结合。

她说：“妇女必须处于这种包容发展模式的核心地位，两性平等和妇女赋权是非洲联盟（AU）政策和行动的主旨，而蓝色经济是促进妇女角色变革的重要的沃土。”

在第三十一届努瓦克肖特常会上她说到，非盟通过的第一个“促进性别平等和妇女赋权的大陆战略（2017-2027）”，是将2063年的关于女性角色变革议程转化为现实的加速器。

“这个战略的首要主张是通过最大限度帮助女性获得机会、取得成果，实现女性的经济自由。而蓝色经济是实现目标的工具之一，”她写道。

在突尼斯，论坛将汇集全球150多名代表，包括海洋专家和创新者、非洲政治领导人和决策者、国际企业家和投资者及非政府组织和多边组织，共同讨论蓝色经济在推动非洲可持续经济增长方面的巨大潜力。在第一届ABEF会议上，发言者和代表们一致认为，广泛地发展非洲蓝色经济，需要有供创新的资金，这不仅需要要各国政府的帮助，而且还需要私营部门积极参与。

在这些建议的基础上，2019年的非洲蓝色经济论坛将重点关注商业和投资，讨论蓝色经济在新兴和前沿部门的机会和创新，以及这些机会和创新如何有助于加速非洲的转型。

据估计，非洲的海洋产业每年的产值约为1万亿美元，海洋经济生态系统的资产价值约为24万亿美元。

蓝色经济具有独特的潜力，可以为当地社区创造就业机会、维持生计，并为非洲大陆提供成本低而影响深远的适应气候变化的解决方案。

本·哈森进一步强调：“我坚信，在讨论发展之前，我们必须考虑到发展的可持续性、社会和环境影响，否则，我们讨论的发展是没有意义的。”

来源：

https://nawmagazine.com/ABEF2019-WOMEN-SHOULD-BE-KEY-TO-ADVANCING-AFRICAS-BLUE-ECONOMY-SAYS-LEILA-BEN-HASSEN/?FROM=SINGLEMESSAGE&ISAPPINSTALLED=0

ABEF2019: 

WOMEN SHOULD BE KEY TO ADVANCING AFRICA’S BLUE ECONOMY, SAYS LEILA BEN HASSEN

Following its successful launch in London last year, the second Africa Blue Economy Forum – ABEF2019 –  will take place in Tunis on 25 -26 June, its organisers have announced. This year, the event will also have a strong focus on African women in this crucial economic development sector.

The nascent, yet reputable organised by Leila Ben Hassen, provides a unique platform for ocean stakeholders to share insights on how to achieve SDG 14 and to present new investment opportunities in both traditional and emerging ocean industries, while facilitating public-private partnerships and networking.

“This year’s Forum is designed as an action-oriented platform aiming to create partnerships, facilitate investments and ultimately create jobs for Africa’s youth while engaging more women in the Blue Economy value chain,” says Ms Ben Hassen Leila who is also founder and CEO of Blue Jay Communication.

A Tunisian national herself, Ms Ben Hassen also explains: “We have chosen Tunis as a city to host ABEF 2019 because of its location and history, acting as an important centre for maritime trade and an economic powerhouse at the crossroads between Europe and Africa…Tunisia was for long at the heart of a territory known as ‘Ifriqiya’ in Arabic, and the ‘Province of Africa’ in Roman times, giving the continent its present-day name.”

Women must be at the heart

In an OpEd published here last November, Mahawa Kaba-Wheeler, Director – Women, Gender and Development at the African Union Commission, weighed in on the importance of the sector, writing that the blue economy has rightly described as the ‘New Frontier of the African Renaissance’. Its potential for the  continent on which almost two thirds of its states have a coastline, whose trade is 90 percent sea-borne, is enormous…runs into the many trillions of dollars and promises to combine enormous economic growth with environmental conservation, if stewarded properly.

She stated: “Women must be at the heart of this inclusivity. Gender equality and women’s empowerment is at the heart of all African Union (AU) policies and actions and the blue economy is fertile ground to further women’s role in this transformative field.”

At its 31st Ordinary Summit in Nouakchott, she explained, the AU adopted its first Continental Strategy for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (2017-2027) to accelerate translate Agenda 2063 into reality for the millions of women and girls across the continent.

“The first pillar of this strategy is aimed at achieving economic autonomy for women through maximising outcomes and opportunities for them. The blue economy is one such target,” she wrote.

In Tunisia, ABEF will bring together more than 150 delegates from across the globe, including ocean experts and innovators, African political leaders and policy makers, international entrepreneurs and investors, as well as NGOs and multilaterals, to discuss the great potential of the blue economy to drive sustainable growth in Africa.

At the inaugural ABEF, speakers and delegates agreed on the need for innovative financing to start developing Africa’s blue economy on a wider scale, involving not only governments but also the private sector.

Building on these recommendations, ABEF2019 will have a strong focus on business and investment. Discussions will explore the opportunities and innovations in emerging and frontier sectors of the blue economy and how they can help accelerate Africa’s transformation.

Africa’s maritime industry is estimated at around US$1 trillion per year and the asset value of ocean economy ecosystems around US$24 trillion.

The Blue Economy has a unique potential to create jobs, sustain livelihoods for local communities and offer low-cost impactful climate change adaptation solutions on the continent.

“I believe that today we cannot speak about growth if it is not sustainable and taking into consideration the social and environmental impact,” Ms Ben Hassen stresses further.

来源：

https://nawmagazine.com/ABEF2019-WOMEN-SHOULD-BE-KEY-TO-ADVANCING-AFRICAS-BLUE-ECONOMY-SAYS-LEILA-BEN-HASSEN/?FROM=SINGLEMESSAGE&ISAPPINSTALLED=0

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