SEYCHELLES: Seychelles will be assuming the role of Chair of the Contact Group on Illicit Maritime Activities (CGIMA), following the Contact Group’s second plenary meeting on 5 September.

SIERRA LEONE: Contributing over 10 percent to Sierra Leone’s GDP, the fishing sector will now benefit from the newly acquired Fish Export Certificate from the People’s Republic of China which was granted following the signing of the Protocol on Inspection, Quarantine, and Sanitary Requirements for Wild Aquatic Products, enabling Sierra Leone to directly export its fish products to China.

UGANDA: The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) has documented at lease 81 arrests of activists protesting oil projects in the country’s Lake Albert region since May of this year and is calling for the end to the clampdown on civil society by the Ugandan authorities.

SOUTH AFRICA: Following on the delivery of five new tugs for the Port of Durban last month, Transnet National Ports Authority celebrated the arrival of a further two tugs for the Port of East London.

SOUTH AFRICA: Companies looking for a footprint in the Port of Durban currently have the opportunity to bid on nine available properties of various sizes and locations for lease periods ranging from five to 15 years.

SOUTH AFRICA: The annual conference and awards evening hosted by the South African International Maritime Institute last week not only highlighted the continued need to address the position of women in the local maritime industry, but also showcased some significant achievements.

SIERRA LEONE: Local artisanal fishermen received fishing equipment to help boost catches during the fishing season in the coastal fisheries.

Governments and industry are being urged to participate in the second Women in Maritime Survey to help gather important baseline data about women’s participation in the maritime and ocean fields.