In a significant move toward enhancing sustainable ocean governance, Maldives’ Minister of Tourism and Environment, Thoriq Ibrahim, unveiled the country’s National Implementation Roadmap for Ocean Accounts 2025–2030 at the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3), currently taking place in Nice, France.
The newly introduced roadmap outlines a strategic plan to mainstream Ocean Accounts into national policy and decision-making processes over the next five years. Ocean Accounts are a framework for consolidating environmental, social, and economic data related to marine ecosystems—an approach intended to guide evidence-based policymaking in support of sustainable ocean use.
Minister Thoriq highlighted that the initiative would reinforce the country’s commitment to international ocean stewardship goals, including the global Pledge to Advance Ocean Accounts by 2030. “We believe the roadmap will be a cornerstone in our efforts to better manage our rich marine resources and ensure long-term sustainability for ocean-dependent sectors like fisheries and tourism,” he said.
The Maldives, an island nation heavily reliant on the ocean for livelihoods, tourism, and food security, sees the Ocean Accounts framework as a tool to improve coordination across sectors. The roadmap aims to support and complement existing national legislation, including the Environmental Protection and Preservation Act, the Fisheries Act, and the Tourism Act, by offering a unified data system to track the health and productivity of marine resources.
Minister Thoriq also issued a call to international development partners and donor agencies to bolster their support in operationalizing Ocean Accounts in the Maldives, emphasizing that the success of the roadmap will rely heavily on technical and financial collaboration.
The UNOC 3 summit, a global platform for advancing sustainable ocean management, brings together heads of state, ministers, scientists, and civil society representatives. Minister Thoriq is joined at the conference by the Maldives’ Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources, Ahmed Shiyam, underscoring the nation’s high-level commitment to marine conservation and ocean governance.
As climate challenges intensify and marine ecosystems face mounting pressure, the Maldives’ new roadmap signals a proactive step toward a more integrated and resilient ocean economy.
