On May 9, Professor Amr·Zakaria·Homouda, Chairman of the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF) of Egypt, and Professor Suzan Mohemd ELGHRABAWY, Director of the Department of Marine Geology, visited the SIO, and discussed with the SIO on the joint construction of China-Africa Marine Science and Blue Economy Cooperation Center (China-Africa Ocean Center) at the Seminar on Bilateral Maritime Cooperation. Director Wang Antao of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Director Fang Yinxia of the SIO, relevant department heads and scientists attended the meeting.

Director Fang Yinxia extended a warm welcome to the NIOF delegation. She stated that developing solidarity and cooperation with African countries is an important cornerstone of China’s foreign policy and a long-term and firm strategic choice of China. The SIO has established stable cooperative relations with marine research institutes from Nigeria, Mauritius, Tanzania, Mozambique, Seychelles, Madagascar and other African countries, and accumulated rich cooperation experience, which will provide useful support and reference for the cooperation between the SIO and the NIOF.

At the meeting, Director Wang Antao introduced the background, achievements and future cooperation suggestions about the cooperation between China and Egypt. NIOF and the representatives from the SIO introduced the development history, organizational structure and research characteristics of their respective units, and reached broad consensus on the joint construction of China-Africa Ocean Center. Professor Amr·Zakaria·Homouda said that the NIOF has two scientific research ships, a “Ocean Decade” implementation center jointly built with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, and a joint training center jointly built with the International Seabed Authority. With sound infrastructure and great influence in Africa, NIOF is very willing and able to cooperate with the SIO to promote the construction of China-Africa Ocean Center.

Through the visit of the NIOF delegation, both sides further clarified the construction direction, cooperation methods and partners of the China-Africa Ocean Center, and both sides will implement the work of building the China-Africa Ocean Center based on the consensus reached at this meeting.