WMU Contributes to Safer World International Conference
As part of the Safer World 2022 international conference that took place in London from 10-11 May, Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, President of the World Maritime University (WMU), was a keynote speaker for the session on ‘Learning from the Crisis – Seafarer wellbeing during the pandemic’.
In her remarks, Dr Doumbia-Henry spoke of the continued impact that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on the global supply chain, including delays and disruptions that are a very real threat to economic growth both at corporate and country levels. “To counter these challenges, organizations need to reimagine and manage their supply chain differently to ensure business continuity and growth for the future,” said Dr Doumbia-Henry, noting that building resilience and flexibility is key.
Dr Doumbia-Henry emphasized that the maritime sector remains a backbone of world trade with approximately 80-90% of goods and raw materials transported by the international shipping industry. She highlighted that shipping underpins our modern way of life allowing countries to access raw materials, enables the manufacture and export of affordable goods and products, and has the lowest environmental footprint in the transport segment on a per-ton basis.
“No country is entirely self-sufficient, and every country relies on maritime trade to sell what it has available/produce on its own and buy what it needs. The jobs and livelihoods of billions of people in the developing world, and standards of living in the industrialized and developed world, clearly continue to heavily depend on ships and shipping,” she said. She also emphasized the critical role of shipping in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a plan agreed by all global leaders revolving around people, peace, planet prosperity and partnership.
The two-day hybrid event was organized by Lloyd’s Register Foundation, an independent global charity that supports research, innovation, and education to make the world a safer place. The conference brought together thought leaders from research, business, government, and other sectors to discuss the biggest safety challenges facing the world and develop new approaches to create a safer world. The conference covered a wide range of topics including safer oceans, the role of safety in accelerating progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals, mental health, and wellbeing in the workplace, understanding risk, and resilience.
