THE AU 2050 AFRICA’S INTEGRATED MARITIME STRATEGY TASK FORCE VISITING PORTUGUESE MARITIME FACILITIES

Lisbon, December 3, 2013 - At the invitation of the Portuguese Government, a delegation from the African Union (AU) 2050 Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy (2050 AIM-Strategy) Task Force was sent to Lisbon, Portugal in order to learn from the Portuguese experience and expertise because, as a nation made of 3% of land and 97% of waters, Portugal has a great deal of maritime know-how and technological expertise that could be transferred to Africa.

Led by the Coordinator of the 2050 AIM-Strategy Task Force, Mr. Samuel KAME-DOMGUIA, the AU delegation, from November 27 to December 3, 2013 had a workshop on Portuguese vast experience in Maritime Affairs and visited various Portuguese Maritime Institutions such as the Directorate-General for Maritime Policy (DGPM), the Directorate-General for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services (DGRM), the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (ISA), the Portuguese Navy Operational Command (NOC), the Task Group for the Extension of the Continental Shelf (EMEPC), and the Directorate-General for Maritime Authority (DGAM).

Considering the AU’s Giant Aquarium Program and the Information Technology aspects of this visit, the AU delegation also undertook a field-work that led them to visiting key maritime infrastructures and facilities in Portugal such, as among others, the Fish and Oyster Production Unit in Algarve (in the Southern part of Portugal), the Earth Observation System (EOS), the Coastal Vessel Traffic Control Center (VTS), the Maritime Security Operations Center (COMAR), the “Luso” Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV), the Survey Vessel (SV), and the Lisbon Oceanário (Giant Aquarium of Lisbon). These visits were motivated by the keen desire to learn from the Portuguese experiences and expertise so to better improve African perspectives on the implementation of the 2050 AIM-Strategy and its Plan of Action.

For further details on the 2050 AIM-Strategy and its Plan of Action, please visit: www.au.int/maritime