Nidal Al-Awran, Commissioner for Environment and Public Safety Affairs at the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, affirmed that the National Blue Economy Strategy represents a qualitative leap in the path of sustainable marine and coastal development in Jordan, and constitutes a national framework that promotes a balance between economic growth and the protection of the marine environment in the Gulf of Aqaba.
This came during his sponsorship of the national workshop organized by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme in Jordan, through the Resilient Coral Reefs Programme in the Gulf of Aqaba, to review the final draft of the National Blue Economy Strategy, with the participation of representatives of government institutions, the private sector, civil society organizations, academic institutions and development partners working in the marine and coastal sectors.
Al-Awran explained that the strategy represents an advanced national step towards enhancing Jordan’s position as a leading regional center in the fields of blue economy and sustainable coastal development, in line with the vision of economic modernization and national priorities related to environmental sustainability and climate change.
The workshop witnessed a review and discussion of the main themes of the strategy, which focuses on a number of priority sectors, most notably sustainable tourism, fisheries and aquaculture, ports and logistics, renewable energy, marine environmental protection, innovation, coastal infrastructure, governance, and sustainable blue finance.
For his part, Sami Trabieh, Acting Project Manager in Aqaba for the United Nations Development Programme, affirmed the Programme’s continued support for national efforts to develop the blue economy in Jordan, through promoting evidence-based planning and building effective partnerships that balance the requirements of economic development with the protection of marine ecosystems.
The workshop included discussion sessions and specialized working groups aimed at reviewing the final draft of the strategy and providing the necessary comments and recommendations, in preparation for completing the procedures for its adoption by the Board of Commissioners of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, and then submitting it to the Prime Minister’s Office for ratification.
It is worth noting that the National Blue Economy Strategy was developed through a comprehensive technical and participatory process, in cooperation with a specialized international consultant, and with the participation of a national team formed for this purpose, which included representatives from various relevant bodies and institutions, in order to ensure that the strategy aligns with national priorities and international best practices in the areas of the blue economy and sustainable coastal development.