The World Maritime University (WMU)–Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute (GOI) was honored to welcome the distinguished representatives from the Ministry of Fisheries & Blue Economy of the Republic of Seychelles on 30 October 2025 at GOI Offices in Malmö, Sweden. The visit and bilateral meetings focused on strengthening collaboration under the Ireland WMU–GOI BBNJ Clinic Programme and preparing for upcoming joint activities.
Visit and Meeting with the Ministry Of Fisheries and Blue Economy
Republic of Seychelles and the WMU-GOI team
The delegation included the Director General of the Department of Blue Economy and WMU Alumnus, Mr. Chrissant Barbe, his Principal Secretary, Mrs. Phillianne Ernesta, and WMU Ocean Sustainability, Governance and Management (OSGM) student Mr. Sorry Abel Alexandre – whose graduation ceremony they attended on 1st November.
As part of the visit, WMU–GOI hosted a coordination meeting dedicated to the co-development and planning of the BBNJ Clinic Training Workshop to be held in April 2026 in Seychelles, where the Ministry will serve as an implementation partner.
The upcoming training workshop will support Indian Ocean and African SIDS and coastal LDCs by addressing capacity needs related to the implementation of the BBNJ Agreement. Building on the successful format piloted in Grenada, the workshop will feature high-level addresses, interactive roundtables, and practical exercises on model legislation drafting facilitated by the clinic team and invited regional and topic experts.
ABOUT THE world maritime university
The World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmö, Sweden is established within the framework of the International Maritime Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations. The mission of WMU is to be the world centre of excellence in postgraduate maritime and oceans education, professional training and research, while building global capacity and promoting sustainable development. WMU is an organization by and for the international maritime community and is committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Agenda.
About THE WMU-SASAKAWA GLOBAL OCEAN INSTITUTE
The World Maritime University’s WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute (WMU-GOI) is an independent focal point for the ocean science-policy-law-industry-society interface where policymakers, the scientific community, regulators, industry actors, academics, and representatives of civil society meet to discuss how best to manage and use ocean spaces and their resources in accordance with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Institute was inaugurated in May 2018 and made possible through generous support from The Nippon Foundation of Japan, the Governments of Sweden, Canada, and Germany, as well as the City of Malmö
ABOUT THE BBNJ CLINIC PROGRAMME
Funded by Ireland, the BBNJ Clinic is implemented by the WMU-GOI with the aim to assist Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in ratifying and implementing the BBNJ Agreement. The Clinic offers legal and policy support to ensure inclusive participation in ocean governance.