The Fisheries Commission (FC), under the auspices of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture (MoFA) and in partnership with the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), held a four-day scoping mission meeting on the proposed Oceans for Development Partnership Programme from 3rd to 6th November 2025 in Accra. The mission focused on assessing Ghana’s ocean priorities and exploring potential areas for collaboration.
As part of the mission, the Norwegian delegation paid a courtesy call on His Excellency, the President of Ghana, to discuss national priorities for sustainable ocean governance and reaffirm both nations’ shared commitment to strengthening cooperation for a resilient and inclusive blue economy.
The programme brought together key institutions, including representatives from the Office of the President, the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), the Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology (MEST), the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), CSIR-Water Research Institute, private sector consultants, and a delegation from Norwegian partner institutions.
Delivering her welcome address, Hon. Emelia Arthur, Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to sustainable ocean governance and inclusive blue economy growth in alignment with national development priorities and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She highlighted that the engagement provides an important platform to deepen cooperation and design actionable strategies that reflect Ghana’s priorities. The Hon. Minister emphasized the importance of building on the achievements of the Fish for Development (FfD) Programme to establish a new framework for sustainable ocean and fisheries management.
In his remarks, H.E. John Mikal Kvistad, Norwegian Ambassador to Ghana, expressed strong enthusiasm for the engagement, describing it as a flagship initiative that will help chart a new course for bilateral cooperation. He underscored that the successful transition from the Fish for Development Programme to the forthcoming Oceans for Development Partnership Programme will depend on the collective expertise, innovation, and commitment demonstrated by participating institutions.
The four-day discussions featured institutional presentations, technical sessions, and plenary dialogues focusing on Ghana’s priority areas: sustainable fisheries management, aquaculture development, ocean governance, climate resilience, maritime safety, and gender inclusion.
Outcomes from the mission will inform the design of a robust cooperation framework that strengthens Ghana-Norway relations and advances sustainable ocean governance for mutual prosperity.
Source : Fisheries Commission
