PRAIA, April 2 (Xinhua) -- President of Cape Verde Jose Maria Neves has sent a letter to his counterparts in 20 African countries along the Atlantic coast, calling for stronger bilateral and regional cooperation to jointly address marine challenges in the region, the country's Presidency said on Wednesday.
In a press release, the Presidency said the initiative followed Neves' recent mission to the Santa Luzia Integral Nature Reserve, the largest protected marine area in Cape Verde.
According to the statement, Neves witnessed an "alarming reality" that "goes beyond Cape Verde's borders," the systematic accumulation of tons of plastic waste along the country's coasts, carried in by Atlantic Ocean currents.
The statement said an estimated 75 percent of the accumulated waste, including nets, ropes, and buoys, comes from industrial fishing and is seriously affecting endemic fauna and nesting sites of critical marine species such as sea turtles, particularly on Santa Luzia, Cape Verde's only uninhabited island and an important global nesting site.
Noting that marine litter, especially plastic waste, is not an isolated challenge for Cape Verde but a transboundary problem affecting ocean health and the sustainability of blue economies in African Atlantic states, Neves proposed stronger bilateral and regional cooperation.
In a letter dated March 26, Neves called for collective waste management policies, the promotion of more biodegradable and environmentally friendly fishing materials, and the inclusion of environmental responsibility clauses in fishing agreements to ensure an effective commitment to reducing marine pollution.
He also proposed that African countries speak "with one voice" in international forums such as ocean conferences to advocate for global solutions and financing to mitigate environmental damage caused by transboundary waste.
Neves said he firmly believes that, through collaborative partnerships among African countries, particularly within the framework of the African Atlantic States initiative, the environmental threat can be turned into an opportunity to reaffirm commitment to the protection, preservation, and promotion of Africa's marine heritage. ■
