“In the field of ocean governance, this is embedded in the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement),” said the Ambassador.
The Ambassador was speaking at a gathering of selected policymakers, practitioners, academics and private sector representatives at the French residence in Dhaka on Tuesday, during the second edition of the ‘Blue Talk’ series, held in the lead-up to the UNOC3 in Nice from 9–13 June.
The French Embassy is hosting this “Blue Talk” series to bring together relevant stakeholders and strengthen Bangladesh’s role in harnessing the full potential of the Bay of Bengal.
The first edition, held in November 2024, focused on the state of the blue economy in Bangladesh, cooperation with France, and future directions.
This second edition focused on how to better leverage satellite technologies to support the blue economy in the northern Bay of Bengal.
Presentations were delivered by representatives from the Regional Center for Maritime Studies in Sri Lanka, Inspira, Bangladesh Meteorological Department, University of Dhaka, University of Chittagong, CEGIS, and the French Development Agency (AFD).
A roundtable discussion, moderated by Capt M Abdus Samad, Head of the Blue Economy Cell, Cabinet Division, featured insights from Airbus, Groupe CLS, Department of Fisheries and Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited.
Bangladesh and France share a longstanding partnership in oceanography and, more broadly, in blue economy initiatives, said the Embassy.
France has been supporting, from many years, the capacity-building of the Hydrography section of the Bangladesh Navy, and since 2023 the French Embassy has deployed an International Technical Expert in oceanography within the International Center for Ocean Governance of Dhaka University to enhance their academic research and educational activities in the field of marine sciences.
A third of the world population depends on the ocean for their livelihood — but oceans are facing severe threats.
The numbers are disturbing: each year, more than eight million tons of plastic end up in the ocean.
On top of that, over a third of global fish stocks are being overfished, while climate change continues to drive ocean acidification, rising sea levels, and the rapid degradation of marine ecosystems.
The Ambassador noted that the high seas — which account for over 60% of the ocean — remain the only area so far not governed by international law. “To end this legal vacuum, we need the BBNJ Agreement to be ratified by 60 countries in order to come into force.”
She expressed gratitude to the Government of Bangladesh for being one of the first countries to ratify the convention in September last year.
Experts highlighted that the development of Bangladesh’s blue economy critically depends on actionable data to enable continuous monitoring, event detection, and evidence-based decision-making.
Satellites — whether for Earth observation, data collection, or meteorology — are increasingly valuable sources of such information, delivering accurate, timely, and relevant insights into terrestrial and marine environments, weather, natural resources, and human activities.
They enable frequent monitoring of large and remote areas, providing a comprehensive view of vast regions.
Since 2018, Bangladesh has been part of the exclusive group of nations that own and operate satellites.
The country is now considering the acquisition of an Earth-observation satellite system, under the Bangladesh Satellite 2 project, to further enhance its sovereign capabilities, mastering its own data.
Following the first two Ocean Conferences in New York (2017) and Lisbon (2022), the third edition — co-hosted by France and Costa Rica — will focus on supporting the implementation of SDG 14, conserving and sustainably using oceans, seas, and marine resources.