Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday said the formulating of a holistic maritime policy is a major initiative by the government.
Dr Gonzi was speaking during a conference organised by the Competitiveness and Communications Ministry as part of its consultation process leading to the development of a comprehensive maritime policy for Malta.
Maritime policy is a major initiative of the government, the Prime Minister said, explaining that the sea is an important part of the Maltese identity as well as an area on which the European Union has moved forward. In fact, Maltese commissioner Joe Borg is responsible for the issue of the green paper on Maritime policy, which attempts at formulating a single policy for European waters.
Dr Gonzi highlighted the importance of the sea in the areas of shipping, coastal tourism and fishing. However, he urged for newer areas to develop, among them that of coastal management, an area in which Maltese expertise should be built.
Fish and minerals do not respect national jurisdiction, said the Prime Minister. Such facts are crucial in persuading countries to seek international partnerships over maritime affairs. To this end, Dr Gonzi said the government proposed to the EU that special development aid should be assigned to non-EU countries which share a maritime border with EU countries and are willing to work in partnership with their neighbours. “We want Malta to be able to contribute towards the development of countries and the region,” concluded Dr Gonzi.
Competitiveness and Communications Minister Censu Galea said the greater the importance assumed by matters related to the sea in the 21st century, the more important it becomes for these affairs to be coordinated and governed in a holistic manner. The minister said that competing uses of the sea by entrepreneurs, by fishermen, by leisure seekers and by researchers need not just to be assessed but also planned in a rational and equitable way.
He claimed that maritime initiatives require international cooperation in order to be truly effective. For this reason on 18 May Malta will be organising an international conference on marine spatial planning in the Euro-Med region, the minister said.
The minister explained how maritime policy touches areas under the remits of different ministries and government entities. A Maritime Permanent Forum was set up within government under Mr Galea’s chairmanship to tackle the relevant issues and questions with all entities involved.
That first step has been followed by yesterday’s national conference which involved stakeholders from local councils, NGOs and the private sector. The minister said the government, through the conference, was seeking to enlarge its views, given the developments happening in the sector, in order to better prepare for the future.