To say that the entire world is in a volatile situation currently would be an understatement; as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent invasion of Ukraine by Russia, there is an immediate need for all economies to come together and tackle the myriad issues that plague the world today, which include but are not limited to poverty, food insecurity, unemployment, energy crisis, and ecological imbalances.
For Bangladesh, and indeed for any developing nation, this is equally if not more true, and the problems plaguing our planet are felt even more so by poorer nations.
To that end, it is encouraging to see that Bangladesh is taking a pro-active stance to address this by tapping into the unlimited potential of our oceans and waters.
More importantly perhaps is that Bangladesh has sought a joint blue economy approach to harness the untapped marine resources that can be useful in tackling the issues mentioned above.
Oceans remain under-explored and given the technological advancements coupled with the pressing needs, now is as good a time as ever to be all in on changing this narrative.
And it is only when there will be a concerted effort, fostering international and regional cooperation in support of the sustainable development of the blue economy, will we truly begin to make headway and realize the full potential of our oceans.
After all, some nations may simply lack the resources or capacity to fully utilize the marine resources at their disposal; if there is strategic partnership and knowledge transfer, it will be beneficial for all economies.
Make no mistake about it, the blue economy is only in its nascent stage and we are only beginning to scratch the surface on what can be achieved.
