Leveraging partnerships towards the 2022 UN Ocean Conference

Join us for the United Nations celebration of the World Ocean Day

A hybrid event of the UN Green Deal Task Force in Brussels on Wednesday, 8 June 2022, 12:30-14:00

Oceans are an essential component of our planet's ecosystem. They lie at the heart of the 2030 Agenda and provide development pathways that contribute to a more prosperous, peaceful and sustainable world. The sustainable use of oceans and seas requires global and regional cooperation. Despite progress made, much remains to be done. It is therefore essential to keep setting high ambitions for the coming decade.



FAO, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO and UNODC are joining forces to bring together the European Commission, European Parliamentarians and representatives from the European Economic and Social Committee and the Organization of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).



The event will provide a forum for exchanges, focusing on partnerships and joint advocacy while maintaining the momentum on ocean action. It will bring together a wide range of partners with the objective of sharing relevant messages and priorities relating to the topics of the UN Ocean Conference including: tackling IUU fishing, overfishing and crimes committed in the fisheries value chains, addressing marine pollution and plastic pollution as well as promoting ocean governance and awareness raising.Participants will present their activities, ideas and solutions on further strengthening cooperation on the sustainable management of our oceans while increasing momentum on ocean action.

Wednesday, 8 June 2022

12:30-14:00 (CET)

Register Here!

Speakers will include 



Welcoming remarks



Camilla Brückner

Director - United Nations Office in Brussels



Charlina Vitcheva

Director-General - European Commission Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries



H.E. Manuela Teixeira Pinto

Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative - Mission of Portugal to the EU, Co-Chair of the UN Oceans Conference





Panel discussion on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing



Cristelle Pratt

Assistant Secretary-General for the Environment and Climate Action - Organization of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS)



Raschad Al-Khafaji

Director - Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Liaison Office in Brussels



Alan Cole

Director - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Border Management Branch





Panel discussion on Marine Pollution and Marine Plastics



Veronika Hunt Šafránková

Head - United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Brussels Office



Hugo-Maria Schally

Adviser for International Environmental Negotiations - European Commission Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV)



Maria Nikolopoulou

Rapporteur on Opinion on Zero Pollution Action Plan for Air, Water and Soil - European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)





Panel discussion on Ocean Governance and Awareness



Andrew Hudson

Head of Water & Ocean Governance Programme - United Nations Development Programme



Isabel Carvalhais

Member of the European Parliament and the European Parliamentary Alliance against Hunger and Malnutrition



Louise Haxthausen

Director - UNESCO Liaison Office in Brussels





Special Intervention



Vladimir Ryabinin

Executive Secretary - Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO





Way forward and closing



H.E. Jacob T. Kaimenyi

Ambassador of the Republic of Kenya to the EU - Co-Chair of the UN Oceans Conference