MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina hosts South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone meeting

Argentina is hosting the two days Third Preparatory Seminar for the VI South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone ministerial meeting with the participation of officials from 24 country members of the organization.

The seminar was opened by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Roberto García Moritán and Fisheries and Aquaculture Under Secretary Gerardo Nieto at the Palacio San Martín, seat of Argentina's Foreign Affairs Ministry. The agenda includes marine environment conservation; sustainable use of marine biodiversity and genetic resources as well as measures to combat illegal, unregulated, unreported fishing. The South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone was proclaimed under the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 41/11 and became the first forum linking South America and African countries coastal countries in the South Atlantic. Currently the organization has 24 members: Angola, Benin, Cameron, Cape Verde, Congo, CÃÂÂ'te d'Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Equatorial, Liberia, Namibia, Nigeria, Sao Tomé y Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leona, Togo, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. Since its founding, the zone has advocated the promotion of peace, regional cooperation, socio-economic development, environment protection, conservation of natural resources and peace in the South Atlantic, in the framework of respect for sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of country members. Since the fifth ministerial meeting of the South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation zone held in Buenos Aires, Argentina has held the presidency of the organization. According to Argentina's Foreign Office, the challenge has been to intensify dialogue and cooperation among African and South American countries, taking advantage of the South-South link and promoting political, commercial, economic and cultural relations between country members. The VI ministerial meeting of the South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone is scheduled to take place next June in Luanda, Angola.