According to the head of the National Steering Committee of the Blue Oceans Conference and Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Nathaniel Blama, the holding of such a conference in the country is vital for the country’s ecosystem.
He said the conference is being hosted in Monrovia through his intervention after taking over as Executive Director of the EPA.
Dr. Blama said Marine pollution is a global issue for which Liberia should be very delighted to host such a conference in the country.”The conference is a vital platform in creating dialogue that guides people against misuse of the oceans in the country; the country’s waterfronts have been polluted by wastes for a very long time,” Dr. Blama pointed out.
He said the conference seeks to provide solutions for protecting the country’s ecosystem, noting that there are many opportunities in the country’s ecosystem.
He indicated that ocean pollution is not only about plastic waste, but also medical and other wastes, and that something must be done to prevent ocean misuse in the country.
He lauded the Swedish government, Conservation International and other partners for their support towards the hosting of the Blue Oceans Conference
Also making remarks at a press conference preceding the conference, the acting Swedish Ambassador to Liberia, Elisabeth Harleman pointed out that the hosting of the Blue Oceans Conference is going to explore many opportunities for the country.
According to Ambassador Harleman, the conference is one of the ways of contributing to the government’s development goal.
Also in remarks, the Country Director of Conservation International, Miss Jessica Donovon-Allen said the hosting of the Blue Oceans Conference in the country seeks to deal with all sorts of wastes on beaches.