WMU Contributes to MARLOG11
Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, President of the World Maritime University (WMU), delivered a keynote address at the 11th International Maritime Transport and Logistics Conference (MARLOG11) that was held from 20 to 22 March in Alexandria, Egypt.
In her remarks on the conference topic of “Maritime Transport and Logistics towards a Sustainable Blue Economy,” President Doumbia-Henry highlighted that the topic goes to the very core of WMU’s mission to be the world center of excellence in postgraduate maritime and oceans education, professional training and research, while building global capacity and promoting sustainable development by contributing to the achievement of many UN Sustainable Development Goals.
President Doumbia-Henry spoke of the challenges the maritime and ocean industries face in transitioning from a conventional resource economy to blue/green economic development with a focus on sustainability. These include global warming, decarbonization of shipping, and access to finances, particularly for developing countries that lack institutional support and capacity for investments.
“We must not be daunted by the scale of these challenges. Fundamentally, solutions lie in education and building capacity coupled with collaborative action to raise awareness and deliver on the engagement of all parties concerned with the sustainable management of maritime activities on the oceans,” said Dr Doumbia-Henry. She emphasized the role WMU plays in advancing research, contributing to education and ensuring that capacities are built worldwide towards a sustainable blue economy in the maritime and ocean sectors.
Acknowledging that development of the Blue Economy is not easy or straightforward, Dr Doumbia-Henry emphasized that Blue Economic Development must be people-centered saying, “The Blue Economy represents an opportunity, a chance for innovation and a gateway to apply new technologies and a great opportunity to improve maritime and ocean sustainability. We must therefore pay attention to the very worthwhile processes of engagement, negotiation and dialogue.”