Dan Neculaescu (MAE) reaffirms Romania’s commitment to regional cooperation at the Black Sea

 

According to a press release of the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) sent to AGERPRES, representatives of Bulgaria, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Turkey, in the presence of the European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevicius, exchanged views on the implementation of the Common maritime agenda from the perspective of the challenges in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic consequences, and future opportunities for regional cooperation at the Black Sea, focused on the concept of the blue economy.

 

In his speech, the Romanian Secretary of State reaffirmed Romania's commitment to regional cooperation and sustainable economic development in the Black Sea region. According to the MAE, he stressed the importance of the two key documents adopted during the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union - the Common maritime agenda for the Black Sea and the Strategic Agenda for Research and Innovation in the Black Sea region. These are all the more important in the context of post-pandemic recovery, offering all actors involved in the region - authorities, economic actors, academic and research institutions, civil society, but also international organizations and European institutions - benchmarks for the sustainable development of the blue economy at the Black Sea, underlines the Romanian ministry.

 

The Common maritime agenda for the Black Sea was adopted at a ministerial conference on May 21, 2019, in Bucharest, by the six riparian states (Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey) and the Republic of Moldova, with the support of the European Commission and in the presence of European Commissioner Karmenu Vella. The agenda and declaration of its assumption by governments reflect the region's priorities in areas subsumed by the blue economy - maritime affairs, fisheries and aquaculture, research and innovation, connectivity, environmental protection, tourism, education, training and skills development of the blue economy.

 

The Common maritime agenda provides a framework and guidance for the implementation, on a voluntary basis, by representatives of the public, private, academic and civil society in the Black Sea area, of national and regional projects in the fields of the blue economy, as well as for attracting European funds and investments in the Black Sea region.