Chairman of Parliament’s Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Dr. Godfred Seidu Jasaw, has led a high-level Ghanaian delegation to the 10th edition of the 'Our Ocean Conference held in Busan, South Korea.

He was joined by Ghana’s Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Emelia Arthur.

Themed “Our Ocean, Our Action,” this year’s conference focused on galvanising global efforts to promote sustainable ocean governance.

A key area of discussion was the concept of Digital Oceans—a transformative initiative that integrates digital technology with ocean industries to accelerate the protection and sustainable use of marine resources.

Dr. Jasaw actively participated in panel discussions, side events, and bilateral engagements with global stakeholders.

These sessions aimed to attract investment, foster strategic partnerships, and deepen international collaboration for the sustainability of Ghana’s ocean and inland water fisheries.

One of the major highlights of the conference was a strategic meeting with U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate and former Secretary of State, Senator John Kerry.

Discussions centered on amplifying Ghana’s efforts on sustainable fisheries and mobilizing international support for initiatives addressing illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

In another crucial engagement, Dr. Jasaw met with Charlina Vitcheva, Director-General of the European Commission for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.

The dialogue focused on the EU’s yellow card warning to Ghana over IUU fishing practices.

Dr. Jasaw assured the EU of Ghana’s ongoing reforms, particularly around increased transparency and the enforcement of deterrent sanctions.

In response, Dr. Vitcheva expressed satisfaction with Ghana’s progress and pledged to initiate processes toward the reversal of the yellow card warning.

The Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, reiterated its commitment to the Transparency Charter and pledged to integrate insights and best practices from the conference into national policy to enhance ocean governance.

The Our Ocean Conference continues to serve as a platform for nations to renew their commitments toward protecting the world’s oceans and ensuring sustainable use of marine resources for future generations.