Date & Time
June 10, 2025
08:45 AM - 10:00 AM ET
- Overview
- Agenda
27 million indigenous people rely on the ocean and its resources for their identity, livelihoods, and food and nutrition security. Despite their connection, dependance and traditional knowledge, they remain underrepresented in the blue economy discourse, ocean governance and resource management.
Organized by the World Bank and the United Arab Emirates, this side event will provide a forum to enhance indigenous voices, rights, and contributions. It will present regional profiles, led by indigenous researchers from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific, highlighting Indigenous Peoples¡¯ roles, good practices, challenges, and aspirations. It will focus on mangroves with its vital importance for coastal communities, biodiversity and climate change adaptation and mitigation. It will also explore how social protection and jobs interventions can support policy reform and effective resource management, drawing on indigenous knowledge. Speakers will include indigenous community leaders, as well as policymakers, researchers and youths, along with representatives from UN organizations.
Partners:
- Mangrove Alliance for Climate
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO
- Abya Yala Indigenous Forum (FIAY)
- Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP)
- African Communities Resource Rights Alliance (ACCRA)
- Indigenous Peoples Network of Southern Africa (IPNeSA)
Moderator: Milika Sobey, Women in Fisheries Network, Fiji
Welcome and Opening Remarks
- Milika Sobey, Women in Fisheries Network, Fiji
- HE Dr Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak Al Shamsi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, United Arab Emirates
- Tove Goldmann, incoming Chair of PROBLUE, Sweden
Presentations
- Indigenous Peoples in Coastal and Marine Environments ¨C Dianna Pizarro, Global Coordinator for Indigenous Peoples, World Bank
- Deep Dive on Oceans: Restoring Roots: The Community Connection to Mangrove Ecosystems&²Ô²ú²õ±è;¨C Hamdah Al Aslai, Head of Marine Life Section, Ministry of Climate Change and Environment - United Arab Emirates
- Social Protection & Jobs and the Blue Economy ¨C Annabelle Bladon, Senior Researcher at the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and Manuel Barange, Assistant Director General and Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, FAO
Fireside chat: Coastal Indigenous Peoples¡¯ Livelihoods & Contributions to Conservation
Moderator: Dianna Pizarro, World Bank
- James Teri, Deputy Secretary-Technical, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources ¨C Solomon Islands
- Jane Glavan, Co-Founder, Distant imagery
- Johnson Jament, Director of BlueGreen Coastal Resources - India and Representative of the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP)
- Vaturogo Seniloli, Nasomo Ra Marama Handicrafts ¨C Fiji
Closing Remarks
- Manuel Barange, Assistant Director General and Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, FAO