DHAKA, April 17, 2024 (BSS) - Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today laid emphasis on the need for responsible and sustainable ocean management. 

He was speaking the high level panel of Foreign Ministers in the 9th Our Ocean Conference in Athens, an official release said here. 
 
Dr Hasan, who is also an environmentalist, pointed the need for adopting holistic approach to balance between sustainable management of ocean for environmental conservation and socioeconomic development of people living in the proximity of ocean. 

He highlighted the initiatives taken by Bangladesh, a country with long Maritime border and history, under the able leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to ensure sustainable ocean management and utilization of maritime resources to uplift people's socioeconomic condition. 

Hasan also called upon the world community to ratify Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty and allocate fund for restoration of bio-diversity of the Oceans. 

The foreign minister also reminded that various countries had promised about 10 billion US dollars for overall development of ecosystem and green shipping, but that has not yet been disbursed. 

In this panel discussion, foreign ministers of Greece, Costa Rica, Cape Verde, Sao Tome and Principe also made intervention and made national commitments.