Hajiji (10th left) with the recipients of the letter of intent.
KOTA KINABALU (March 6): The Sabah International Blue Economy Conference (SIBEC) 2024 kicked off on Wednesday with the launching of its official portal and the exchange of letters of intent between the State Government and supporting organisations at Menara Kinabalu.
The ceremony was officiated by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor who envisioned the blue economy venture as a new initiative to explore the ocean treasures for economic development to generate jobs, improve the people’s livelihood and generate state’s revenue.
In his maiden investment trip to Shenzhen, China in November last year, the Chief Minister has invited investors to Sabah to explore the blue economy in collaboration with the State Government, seeing the potential in this area for win-win partnerships.
He said the blue economy comprised of four main components – harvest of living resources (seafood and marine biotechnology), extraction of non-living resources, generation of new resources (minerals, energy and fresh water), commerce and trade in and around the oceans (transport and trade, tourism and recreation) and response to ocean health challenges (ocean monitoring and surveillance, carbon sequestration, coastal protection and waste disposal).
There are 14 industries earmarked under the four main components among them aquaculture, fisheries, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, oil and gas, renewables, shipping, blue carbon and habitat protection and restoration.
At the ceremony, the Chief Minister presented letters of intent to the Sabah Ports Authority, Invest Sabah Sdn Bhd, Sawit Kinabalu Sdn Bhd, Qhazanah Sabah Berhad, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd, Petronas, The Asia Foundation – Malaysia, Sabah Credit Corporation Bhd, POIC Sdn Bhd, SEDCO, SEDIA, Sabah Energy Sdn Bhd, KKIP Sdn Bhd, supporting organisations and to the Maritime Institute of Malaysia as strategic partner for the three-day conference to be held from September 2 this year.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to declare open the SIBEC 2024.
SIBEC 2024 is a follow up to the SMJ EKOB 2023 Synédrio SMJ themed “Beyond Limits, Unleashing Economy” held on December 14 last year which saw international speakers sharing their expertise in the blue economy concept in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) adopted by the United Nations.
More information could be obtained from www.blueeconomy.sabah.gov.my.