Princess Alia inaugurates regional workshop on protecting marine life

AMMAN — HRH Princess Alia on Wednesday inaugurated the third regional workshop in the MENA region on protecting 30 per cent of the world’s seas and oceans by 2030, and preserving biodiversity in Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ).

The two-day event, organised by the Princess Alia Foundation, the Ministry of Environment, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the Pew Charitable Trusts, aims to bring all stakeholders and partners together to develop recommendations for safeguarding the marine environment, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Princess Alia emphasised the importance of the workshop’s agenda, noting that “the exceptional circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic have proved that the environment improves rapidly when protection and development-related precautions are put in place”. 

According to IFAW Programme Director Akram Issa Darwish, the move by international organisations to expand cooperation with Middle Eastern and North African countries stems from a belief in the importance of Arab countries supporting and guiding international policies aimed at preserving the natural biological resources that ensure the survival of the human race.

Representative of the Environment Ministry Raed Bani Hani said that the event gives everyone the opportunity to share the vision of the officials in various Arab countries in terms of preserving biodiversity and exchanging thoughts.