The 4^th SOI Global Dialogue with Regional Seas Organizations (RSOs) and Regional Fisheries Bodies (RFBs), scheduled for 11 to 14 June 2024 in Seoul, Republic of Korea, was inaugurated today.

This meeting was convened by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea and the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea.

The purpose of this meeting was to advance the work under the SOI Global Dialogue, a key platform that bridged national, regional, and global ocean priorities. Through its first three meetings (2016, 2018, 2022) and various workshops, the SOI Global Dialogue facilitated valuable exchanges among regional organizations, identified opportunities for cross-sectoral collaboration on sustainable fisheries and marine biodiversity, and outlined the roles of regional organizations in supporting global commitments for fisheries, environment, biodiversity, and sustainable development.

The participants included heads of the Regional Fishery Bodies (RFBs) and Regional Seas Organizations (RSOs), as well as representatives from the countries of this region. Dr. P. Krishnan, Director of BOBP-IGO, participated in the dialogue.