The Minister for Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity (MALFFB), Nako Natuman, is in China to discuss strategic actions to develop Vanuatu’s agriculture and fisheries sectors.
The Minister’s delegation, which comprises his wife, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) Antoine Ravo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Vanuatu Agriculture College (VAC) Peter Napwatt, First Secretary of the Embassy of Vanuatu in Beijing Osborne Taseru, First Political Advisor (PA) David Gibson, and Minister’s Private Secretary Vincent Kapalu arrived in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, on Tuesday.
The Director of Fisheries did not join the delegation due to in-country duties.
The cooperation between the two countries is pre-determined in a proposal dubbed “Strategic Actions on Agriculture and Fisheries Cooperation between China and Pacific Island Countries (PICs) 2023-2026.”
It endeavours to implement the Nanjing Consensus on China-PICs Cooperation in Agriculture and Fisheries, to strengthen their mutually beneficial cooperation in the two sectors.
This is deemed a follow-up to the second China-PICs’ Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers Meeting in April.
The proposal recalled the Nadi Declaration of China and PICs on Agricultural Development adopted in Nadi, Fiji on March 29, 2029 and the latest positive progress in the agricultural and fishery cooperation, especially the effective implementation of the jointly developed 2020- 2022 Action Plan on Agricultural Cooperation.
The parties involved, through friendly consultation, have agreed to formulate the 2023-2026 Strategic Actions on Agriculture and Fisheries Cooperation between China and PICs, to chart the course for cooperation over the next three years.
Photo supplied Caption: Minister Nako Natuman (centre) with the delegation.