Inter-regional training and capacity building workshop on fisheries trade, management and development in selected Least Developed Countries

04 - 07 April 2017

Albion

, Mauritius

With the cooperation of the Ministry Ocean Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping, Mauritius, UNCTAD is hosting this workshop to assist LDCs in harnessing the potential of their fishery sectors. This workshop is one of the final events of the project "Building the capacities of selected LDCs to upgrade and diversify their fish exports," and will bring the lessons learned throughout the implementation of the project to representatives of the five beneficiary countries, that is, Cambodia, Comoros, Mozambique, Myanmar, and Uganda.

The inter-regional training and capacity building workshop will accomplish several objectives:

It will enable exchange of successful experiences and best practices between countries covered by UNCTAD's project on tapping the development potential of the fishery sector

It will provide hands-on training and draw practical and policy-oriented lessons from Mauritius in upgrading and diversifying fish exports

It will allow beneficiary countries to benefit from the institutional and technical expertise of Mauritius in overcoming challenges posed by international standards on fish exports

It will result in recommendations for policies and strategies, both at the national and international levels, with a view to improving capacity to comply with international standards and enabling beneficiary countries to diversify their exports by tapping their fishery potential.

Beyond sharing the experiences of the beneficiary countries, and the host country, the workshop is being held with a view to enabling lasting connections to be made across countries in the developing world, and fostering South-South cooperation into the future.

Fisheries constitute a sector that holds considerable potential for the diversification and development of emerging economies across the developing world. Fish and fishery products are among the most important dynamic commodity products for LDCs. Despite its importance, the sector is often underdeveloped and the bulk of fish exports frequently consist of just a few products to a limited number of importing markets. Compliance with international public and private standards is perhaps the most significant barrier to export for least developed economies. While UNCTAD's project address many constraints on tapping the potential of the fisheries sector in LDCs, both on the supply and demand side, it focuses most heavily on developing the capacities of these countries to meet international standards.