First international sargassum conference a success

The summit came about as a result of the commitment and support of the president of the Regional Council of Guadeloupe Ary Chalus, and the president of France Emmanuel Macron.

Three main objectives were pursued in the form of:
• enhancing the dissemination of knowledge about sargassum to the general public,
• identifying the actions implemented by the authorities of the countries and territories impacted and the best strategies to address this phenomenon, and
• strengthening cooperation in this area by defining a common political strategy which involves stakeholders at the regional and international levels.

An exhibition at the University of Antilles, as well as, the screening of two movies and a debate with the general public, was among the main highlights.

In his introductory speech, Chalus highlighted the need to preserve the maritime heritage of the Caribbean islands which has a critical role for the economic development.

“We continue to fight and provide assistance to communities impacted by the invasion of sargassum and businesses led to closure, so that they do not lose hope. Therefore, I was very pleased to host this International Conference on Sargassum which, I hope, will open a door of hope. We live in small islands, and this maritime heritage has contributed to our economic development and a quality of life envied around the world. Notwithstanding the exposure of our shoreline to the direct impacts of climate change, it would be a mistake to consider our insularity as a handicap. Because of their geographical position, countries and territories of the Caribbean must spearhead the environmental responsibility,” Chalus explained.  

Secretary general of the ACS June Soomer reminded stakeholders that the issue of sargassum remains a priority for the entire Caribbean.      

“We must address this challenge, especially as many countries and territories have been mobilising important funds to try to control this phenomenon. We have been talking about it since 2011. I was very pleased because we discussed solutions, opportunities and innovations in this area. In addition, we spoke as one for the first time by making a major regional political statement which, I hope, will have an international impact,” Soomer stated.

OECS head of the environmental sustainability cluster, Chamberlain Emmanuel, drew the attention of the participants on the impacts of sargassum in the OECS member states through the screening of a movie which highlighted the difficulties faced by the governments. He also reminded the commitment of the OECS to address the issue.

“In July 2018, the 5th Meeting of the OECS Council of Ministers for Environmental Sustainability held in Montserrat considered “Sargassum: Challenges and Opportunities” as a priority, and issued a statement and made related decisions. The very large delegation of Ministers present in Guadeloupe was a testimonial of the permanent commitment to address this issue and demonstrated that this International Conference on Sargassum is totally in line with our vision. This event was a hub for exploring concrete solutions and building resilience to the invasion of sargassum”  said Emmanuel.

Further to the introductory speeches, the movie "Brown Seaweed, Green Ideas" was released to the public. This movie which was produced by Frédéric Tyrode Saint-Louis in partnership with the students of the high-school of Port-Louis in Guadeloupe, aimed to showcase the harmful effects of the massive arrival of sargassum on the environment and the health of the inhabitants of the communities impacted in Guadeloupe. The film also featured the initiatives to use the seaweed as a resource and manufacture agricultural products or generate green energy. 

Besides the conferences, 55 institutional and private exhibitors also presented innovations on the detection, analysis, collection, management and recovery of sargassum at SARG'EXPO.
Delegations of multiple countries, territories and regional organisations were present. They are: the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), the Organization of American States (OAS), Barbados, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts & Nevis, Anguilla, Montserrat, British Virgin Islands, Martinique, Saint Martin, Saint Barthelemy, France, Trinidad & Tobago, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Mexico, Brazil and the USA.