Recently, the High-Level Dialogue on the 2027 CliMetS & MOCSI International Cruise was successfully held at the Qingdao “Ocean Decade” International Centre. The event was organized and chaired by Professor Pei-Yuan Qian, Director of the Management Committee for the CliMetS and MOCSI Programmes.
The gathering brought together ministers and senior officials from the fisheries and marine departments of Western Indian Ocean (WIO) coastal nations, including Tanzania, Seychelles, Mozambique, and Madagascar, alongside representatives from the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO Sub-Commission for Africa and the Adjacent Island States (IOCAFRICA). Focusing on the cooperative frameworks, research permits, data and sample sharing, capacity sharing, and the joint training of early-career scientists, the dialogue yielded substantive outcomes and laid a solid groundwork for the upcoming international cruise.
Building Consensus to Chart a New Chapter in Cruise Cooperation
During the meeting, Professor Qian delivered a comprehensive presentation on the overarching progress of the CliMetS and MOCSI, two UN Decade Programmes led by the Guangzhou Marine Laboratory. He also outlined the scientific objectives, route design, and implementation framework for the 2027 WIO international cruise.
High-level representatives, including Hon. Bashiru Ally Kakurwa, Minister of Livestock and Fisheries of Tanzania, and Mr. Alain de Commarmond, Secretary of State for Fisheries and the Blue Economy of Seychelles, expressed high praise and strong support for this upcoming international cruise.
The delegates emphasized that the Western Indian Ocean is pivotal to global climate governance, biodiversity conservation, and the blue economy, noting that China and African nations share vast potential for collaboration in deep-sea exploration, technological application, and talent cultivation.
Achieving Substantive Outcomes
Following sharing and efficient discussions, the dialogue secured breakthrough progress, establishing a robust framework for the preparation of the upcoming cruise:
- Streamlined Cruise Permits Application: Delegates unanimously endorsed the research cruise and pledged administrative and policy support to expedite permit approvals for operations within their respective national waters, backed by clear timelines and roadmaps.
- Dedicated Communication Channels: Participating nations appointed designated national liaison officers, formally establishing streamlined communication pathways to guide future coordination.
- Capacity Sharing and Talent Cultivation: Delegates reached a preliminary consensus on cruise participant quotas and training mechanisms, empowering participating countries through joint investigations and technology development.
- Data and Sample Sharing: Grounded in open-science principles, the framework guarantees that participating nations retain access right to cruise data and scientific deliverables, effectively informing regional policy-making.
A New Starting Point for Long-Term Partnerships
In his concluding remarks, Professor Qian highlighted that the dialogue not only obtained robust support from coastal countries for the 2027 WIO international cruise, but also marked a significant milestone in marine science and technology cooperation between China, Western Indian Ocean island nations, and East African countries under the UN "Ocean Decade" framework.
Looking forward, the Secretariat office of the CliMetS and MOCSI Programmes will work closely with national focal points from participating countries to establish regular communication and collaboration mechanisms. By refining milestones and operational workflows, the Secretariat office remains fully committed to advancing preparations for the 2027 WIO international cruise, uniting efforts to address the global challenge of climate change.
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