CAPE TOWN, June 6 (Xinhua) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will take advantage of the G7 Leaders' Summit Outreach to promote sustainable development in pursuit of the ocean economy, the Presidency said on Wednesday.
Ramaphosa has been invited to participate in the two-day session scheduled for June 8-9 in Quebec, Canada, under the theme Healthy, Productive and Resilient Oceans and Seas, Coasts and Communities, according to the Presidency.
Ramaphosa's participation in the G7 Leaders' Summit Outreach coincides with his drive to attract investment to grow the economy, create jobs and address poverty and inequality in South Africa, presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko said.
The focus of the G7 Outreach meeting is in line with the goals outlined in South Africa's National Development Plan (NDP) and speaks to the country's efforts to stimulate economic growth and job creation by unlocking the ocean economy through Operation Phakisa, a blueprint for developing the ocean economy, Diko said.
"There has been a realization that South Africa's long-term development goals cannot be reliant solely on land-based resources," he said.
With a sprawling coastline of 3,924 kiometers, the country's ocean and ocean resources form an integral part of the development mix under the NDP.
Development of the coastal space has been largely untapped and holds the potential to add an additional one million jobs and contribute up to 13.6 billion U.S. dollars to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country, Diko said.
South Africa seeks to achieve these goals through Operation Phakisa, which has also been adopted as part of the government's economic transformation agenda.
"South Africa remains dedicated to sustainable development in its pursuit of the oceans economy and the G7 Leaders' Summit Outreach provides an opportunity for the country to contribute globally to the management of the oceans, seas and coastal areas within an integrated environmental, economic and social approach." Diko said.
