The Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources of Sierra Leone, Hon. Mrs. Princess Dugba, along with her Administrative Assistant Mr. Steve Yambasu arrived in Seoul, South Korea, on April 27, 2025, to take part in the 10th Our Ocean Conference (OOC 2025). This significant event is set to take place in Busan City from April 28 to 30, 2025.
This year’s conference, themed “Our Ocean, Our Action,” aims to gather global leaders from the ocean and maritime sectors to discuss sustainable and practical solutions for protecting and managing our oceans. Since it began, the OOC has seen over 2,600 voluntary commitments, raising around $1.64 billion to support ocean conservation efforts.
OOC 2025 will tackle pressing issues like illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, marine plastic pollution, and the effects of unchecked greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation With Korea being a leader in technological innovation, the conference will also look into how digital technologies can be leveraged to promote sustainable ocean management.
Upon her arrival, Minister Dugba received a warm welcome from Sierra Leone’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Korea, Paul Sobba Massaquoi, along with Minister Plenipotentiary and Head of Chancery Mrs. Aisha Sillah and Counselor Mrs. Agnes Mbayo.
The minister has been thoroughly briefed on the event schedule and is set to participate in several high-level meetings. She will engage with key stakeholders, including Korea’s Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, the Mayor of Busan Metropolitan City, and representatives from KOIMA. Additionally, Hon. Dugba has been chosen to be a panelist at the OOC side event titled “Navigating the Future of the Sustainable Blue Economy,” where she will help shape the future of sustainable maritime practices.
Michaella Bonnie
Information Attache
Embassy of Sierra leone Seoul
