President of the Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE), Mr. Anthony Akpan, has said that the Ocean Decade in Africa along with the Science and Knowledge for a Resilient and Sustainable Ocean Economy in Africa (SEAWARD Africa) programme will provide a coordinated framework for implementing the Ocean Decade Africa Roadmap, uniting diverse stakeholders around a common set of priorities for the region.
Akpan made that submission in a technical presentation on the UN Ocean Decade, Sea Level Rise and the Blue Economy as the guest speaker during the Ondo State Environmental Protection Agency (OSEPA) Stakeholders’ Forum on the United Nations Ocean Decade and Environmental Pollution held at the State Information Technology Hall, (SITA) Alagbaka, Akure, on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Mr. Akpan also informed the gathering that, ahead of the United Nations Conference on the Oceans (UNOC-3) to be held in Nice in June 2025, organised by France and Costa Rica, the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, has entrusted the Mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, with the task of building the “Ocean Rise & Resilience Coalition – Adapting Coastal Cities & Regions to Ocean Hazards “.
This Coalition, he added, would bring together 1,000 representatives of the one billion people around the world who will be affected by rising sea levels by 2050. The Coalition was announced at the One Planet – Polar Summit in November 2023. At the same time, policy recommendations for adapting coastal cities to sea-level rise were published by the Ocean & Climate Platform, on which the Coalition will be based.
The Coalition will be officially launched at UNOC-3, on the occasion of the “Ocean Rise & Resilience Forum – for Adapting Coastal Cities & Region to Ocean Hazards”, the first summit (Special Event) dedicated to sea level rise and the resilience of coastal cities and regions, in Nice on June 7, 2025. He also said invitation has been sent to Governors of the Niger Delta states, including Lagos State, to attend the summit.
The purpose of the Ondo State Environmental Protection Agency Stakeholder’s Forum on United Nations Ocean Decade and Environmental Pollution was to address the challenges of environmental pollution ongoing on the state’s water courses at the coastal areas of Ondo State. It was also to link the state up with the Ocean Decade Mandate and Policy Framework of the United Nations.
About 250 people registered for the Stakeholder’s Forum, including the State Governor, Dr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, who was represented by the Chairman of Ondo State Waste Management Authority, Mrs. Yinka Alabi; Prof. Asiwaju Bello, Department of Geology, Federal University of Technology Akure; Dr Olusegun Dada, Head of Department of Marine Science, Federal University of Technology, Akure; Dr. Adeyemi Olayemi, former Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Academia; Professional Bodies; Principal and Students of Secondary Schools in the State; Private Organisation; Environmental Health Officers; Permanent Secretaries; Administrative secretaries; General Managers; non-government organisations (NGOs), and all lovers of environment.
The Governor’s representative gave the keynote address at the forum, while Administrative Secretary of OSEPA, Mrs. Funke Adeoye, gave the welcome address. Accordingly, representative of National Environmental Society, Mrs. Akinyanmi B. O; Dr. Olayemi Adeyemi; Coordinator NESREA, Mr. Kehinde Mafimisebi TANTITA security and representative of the Head of Service gave goodwill messages.