The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) announced it is supporting various cross-border economic projects as part of integrating the region and promoting people-to-people ties.
In a press release sent to The Ethiopian Herald, IGAD highlighted the need for coordinated fisheries resources management and development to harness the untapped fisheries resource potentials along with the Baro-Akobo-Sobat River Basin of Ethiopia and South Sudan.
IGAD held a workshop entitled “bilateral fisheries coordination platform consultative meeting “yesterday in Gambella that attracts various stakeholders from IGAD, Ethiopia, and South Sudan.
IGAD Secretariat Environment Protection Program Manager Eshete Dejen (PhD) said that Baro-Akobo-Sobat River Basin fisheries management is part of the of IGAD-Ecofish development project.
“This project enables the two countries towards developing and sustainably utilizing trans-boundary resources jointly and peacefully,” he said.
Ministry of Agriculture Fishery Development Directorate Director Hussien Abegaz said that having joint fisheries resource development and management agreement on the Baro-Akobo-Sobat River Basin enables utilizing fisheries resources properly.
As to him, the IGAD-Ecofish project creates new market opportunities between the two countries and ensures sustainable conservation of the fisheries resources in the basin.
More importantly, the project embraces tangible job opportunities for the two countries in the fisheries sector, he noted.
South Sudan Ministry of Environmental and Forestry John Ater for his part said that the project is crucial towards the socio-economic development of the two countries through improving capacity building.
“The implementation of the project will promote peaceful coexistence among the fisheries community along the Baro-Akobo-Sobat River Basin,” he added.
Accordingly, the Baro-Akobo-Sobat River Basin integrated fisheries management platform said fundamental to strengthen bilateral fisheries resource coordination between Ethiopia and South Sudan.