To understand what AANChOR stands for, we need to take some steps back in time.
In 2013, the European Union, United States and Canada signed a multilateral agreement called Galway Statement on Atlantic Ocean Cooperation to increase the knowledge of the Atlantic ocean by sharing efforts and knowledge of the ocean. As a result of science diplomacy efforts from Galway Statement to “facilitate common research and knowledge exchange for us to provide a healthy, resilient ocean for our future generations” started the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance (AORA).
As the Galway Statement was covering the North Atlantic ocean, countries like Brazil and South Africa had bilateral agreements signed with the European Union on science and technological cooperation, and the countries would like to further their collaborative efforts in the Atlantic ocean, in 2017 they signed the Belém Statement on Atlantic Research and Innovation Cooperation. Furthermore, many other bilateral agreements started to be signed between the European Union and other Atlantic countries, such as Argentina, Cabo Verde and Morocco. With more countries joining efforts to enhance marine research and innovation cooperation along and across the Atlantic Ocean, the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance (AAORIA) was established as an opportunity and a result of science diplomacy efforts involving countries from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean – to promote innovation, outcome-oriented ocean science, and an All-Atlantic community.
AAORIA has three main initiatives:
So now we got to AANChOR, which stands for All-Atlantic Cooperation for Ocean Research and Innovation, and aims at supporting the implementation of the Belem Statement and the AAORIA. It has three main objectives:
1. Identify concrete joint actions to support the implementation of the Belém Statement.
2. Contribute to the implementation of the selected joint actions.
3. Define long term measures for sustainability of the cooperation framework beyond the lifetime of the initiative.
The selected joint actions:
- All-Atlantic Ocean Capacity Development and Training Platform (AA-TP)
- All-Atlantic Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Platform (AA-ATiP)
- All-Atlantic Marine Biotechnology Initiative (AA-BIOTECMAR)
- All-Atlantic Data Enterprise 2030 (AA-DATA2030)
- All-Atlantic Blue Schools Network (AA-BSN)
- All-Atlantic Marine Research Infrastructure Network (AA-MARINET)
Each joint action received a seed funding from AANChOR to support its initial phase of implementation. And the All-Atlantic Blue Schools Network was one of them which started in June 2021.
In 2022, an All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance Declaration – the All-Atlantic Declaration – was signed by the United States, Cabo Verde, Morocco, Argentina, European Union, Brazil, South Africa, and Canada to reinforce and consolidate the implementation of the Galway and Belém Statement. The document stated seven priority areas:
- Ocean and climate
- Marine ecosystems and biodiversity
- Marine Pollution
- Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture
- Atlantic ocean observing
- Circular, sustainable and inclusive ocean economies
- Ocean Literacy
Reach the AANChOR’s website and check the AA-BSN webpage.
Follow the All-Atlantic Social Media to stay tuned!
AAOYA
The All-Atlantic Ocean Youth Ambassadors (AAOYA) is AAORIA’s programme launched in 2019 to enable the next generation to become actors of change in their communities. They are Early Careers Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) who promote sustainable development and stewardship of the Atlantic Ocean, by developing campaigns and communication strategies to reach out to local communities, students and civil society, engage decision makers, and are integrated into the AANChOR’s Joint Pilot Actions.
With the support of the AA-BSN, AAOYA launched in June 2022 a first edition of the booklet series Bridging the Ocean – a collective of concepts and conversations focused on the ocean in relation to bringing awareness to the challenges the ocean is facing. The first edition was called Oceanic Cycles and had the support of the AA-BSN. It is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French.
https://allatlanticocean.org/view/news/bridging-the-ocean-
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