Sustainable fisheries? Still a challenge!

Participation of Mundus maris in the World Social Forum 2011 in Dakar

During the World Social Forum held in Dakar, Senegal, from 3 to 11 February 2011, Mundus maris asbl participated actively. This participation took two forms:

  • The participation of Aliou Sall, supported in this occasion by Ibrahima Seck, ensured widespread distribution of flyers. The two met with delegations from around the world (see photos taken at the forum). The Mundus maris team spent 6 and 7 February to publicise the initiative. Participants at the Forum were given the pamphlet and engaged in discussions, in the gardens of the University Cheikh Anta Diop, opposite the Faculty of Medicine, where the Forum took place, and at individual stalls. On the afternoon of February 7 was devoted to the confines of the University Cheikh Anta Diop II (UCAD II) where the other part of the stalls were set up. The distribution of pamphlets generated much interest on the part of people met; some representatives of institutions based in Europe (Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Holland and France) expressed the interest to contact the international coordination of Mundus maris to explore collaboration.

  • Second was the participation of Mundus maris in the conference CICODEV Africa (The Alliance for Consumer Citizenship / Citizenship and Consumer Alliance). The Directors of CICODEV-Africa invited Aliou Sall as the regional coordination of Mundus maris, to participle in the seminar held at the Centre Lebret in front of the University Cheikh Anta Diop from 9h00 to 17h30.

In the morning, two themes were discussed:
Agricultural Policies in West Africa. Produce for export or to feed its people.
Impact of Large Scale Land Aquisition (LSLA) on consumption in rural areas.

These two themes were followed by the presentation of Ms. Eva Joly, MEP and Chair of the Development Commission of the European Parliament, who gave a press conference on the theme: "Tax evasion and financial flows". Afterwards, Ms. Ska Keller, MEP, spoke on the theme "Policy coherence at national and international trade, energy, fisheries, climate change".

The afternoon was devoted to a discussion on the fisheries policy including recent developments in joint ventures in fisheries in Senegal and Mauritania and the consequences on fishing communities of foreign direct investment (FDI) in African fisheries.

Aliou Sall, Photos by Ibrahima Seck

Aliou Sall talks to representatives from South AfricaAliou Sall of Mundus maris speaks to delegates from South Africa; in the foreground a Senegalese glass painterDiscussion with an Italian ecotourism operator An Italian stall at the WSF 2011Delegates from France and Belgium at the WSF 2011Delegates from Chile and Belgium at the WSF 2011 speaking with Aliou SallAliou Sall discusses with a participant from Brazil at the WSF 2011Aliou Sall discusses with a participant from Canada at the WSF 2011Aliou Sall discusses with students of the Faculty of English at the WSF 2011Discussion with students at the WSF 2011 in DakarStudents of the Faculty of Literature at the WSF 2011 in DakarDiscussion at the WSF 2011Discussion with students at the WSF 2011Discussion with students at the WSF 2011Discussion with students at the WSF 2011