Egyptian marine research expert: China provides strong support for the development of environmental protection in African countries

China News Service, Antalya, November 10 (Reporters Wang Gaofei, Chen Su, Zhao Li) From November 9 to 20, the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was held in Turkey. Amr Zakaria Hamouda, Vice Chairman of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and Chairman of the Egyptian National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, said in an interview with a reporter from China News Service on the 9th local time that China has made active efforts to support the development of environmental protection in African countries. The China-Africa Marine Science and Blue Economy Cooperation Center will help young African scientists improve their scientific research capabilities and further deepen China-Africa cooperation in the marine field.

Hammouda said that the world is currently facing the urgent challenge of climate change, and the ocean is under pressure from economic activities, population growth and other aspects. COP31 should place marine issues in an important position, conduct discussions around marine protection, challenges faced by developing countries and other issues, and promote marine protection from coast to deep sea.

He pointed out that currently, global sea level rise is posing a threat to coastal agricultural development. Coastal areas and deltas in many countries are rich in agricultural resources, but as sea levels rise, seawater intrusion may aggravate soil salinization, change the original freshwater environment, affect the cultivation of rice and other crops, and even threaten local agricultural production.

At the same time, changes in seawater temperature will also affect the distribution of marine life, causing fish migration, thereby affecting the livelihood of local fishermen. Hamuda believes that the international community needs to provide more support to coastal residents to help them adapt to environmental changes and explore new production activities and development opportunities.

Hammouda said that policymakers and decision-makers need to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with scientists, especially to provide developing countries with necessary scientific tools and policy support to jointly find solutions to climate change and its ocean impacts.

Talking about the establishment of the China-Africa Marine Science and Blue Economy Cooperation Center, Hamuda said that the center focuses on serving African countries, focusing on capacity building, supporting young African scientists to understand and master new technologies, understand the challenges facing the ocean field, and explore cooperation paths.

He said that the center will build a bridge for exchanges and cooperation between young African scientists and Chinese experts, and promote deeper cooperation between China and Africa in the fields of marine science and blue economy. This is a concrete example of China's support for developing countries and also reflects China's efforts to help African countries develop.