Minister attended the 36th Session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI 36) in Rome, Italy

Minister Ahmed Shiyam attended the 36th Session of the Committee on Fisheries (COF136), held at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome from July 8th to 12th.

During his address, the Minister urged leaders to work together to eliminate trade barriers, particularly for fragile and vulnerable countries, such as Small Island Developing States like the Maldives. Minister highlighted the challenges faced by the country, which compel it to export raw materials to the global market  And intend to transform the situation under the guidance of His Excellency President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

Minister Ahmed Shiyam also highlighted that approximately 11% of the country's workforce is engaged in the fisheries sector, contributing nearly 6% of the country's annual GDP. He emphasised that the Maldives is one of the highest fish-consuming communities in the world.

In addition, the minister emphasised the commitment to greening our fishery by investing in renewable energy. Aligned with the President's vision, the aim is to derive at least 35% of the energy used in our fisheries industry from renewable sources within the next four years.

MinisterSpeech