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Ambassadors

Establishing Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure Crucial for Bangladesh's Blue Growth

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The French Ambassador to Bangladesh, Marie Masdupuy, has stressed the significance of establishing a Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure (MSDI) in supporting sustainable blue growth in Bangladesh. This comes as the country considers developing its earth observation satellite capabilities, which would allow for enhanced monitoring of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The establishment of a national MSDI would be extremely timely and beneficial, facilitating the standardization, integration, and hosting of satellite and marine datasets. This infrastructure would make observational products accessible to stakeholders for use in sustainable marine management.

Key Takeaways:

  • The French Ambassador to Bangladesh, Marie Masdupuy, emphasized the importance of establishing a Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure (MSDI) in supporting sustainable blue growth in Bangladesh.
  • The establishment of a national MSDI would be extremely timely and beneficial, facilitating the standardization, integration, and hosting of satellite and marine datasets.
  • An MSDI would make observational products accessible to stakeholders for use in sustainable marine management, enabling them to make informed decisions.
  • Bangladesh is considering developing its earth observation satellite capabilities, which would enhance its sovereign capacity and allow for effective monitoring of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
  • The seminar was attended by policymakers, researchers, hydrographers, and international experts, including Dr Tonia Capuano of Expertise France, Commodore Sheikh Firoz Ahmed of the Bangladesh Navy, and experts from Sri Lanka and Italy.
  • France reiterates its commitment to ocean protection through concrete actions, including improving governance as embedded in the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement).
  • Bangladesh is among the first countries to ratify the BBNJ Agreement, having done so in September 2024.

Statistics:

  • Bangladesh is considering developing its earth observation satellite capabilities.
  • A national Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure (MSDI) would facilitate the standardization, integration, and hosting of satellite and marine datasets.
  • The MSDI would make observational products accessible to stakeholders for use in sustainable marine management.
  • Bangladesh is among the first countries to ratify the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), having done so in September 2024.

Sources:

  • The official news Agency of Bangladesh (BSS)
  • Embassy of France in Bangladesh (press release)
  • "Blue Talk" series, University of Chittagong (CU)
  • Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement)

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