Aqaba, Aug. 19 (Petra) – A delegation from the Aqaba Marine Reserve visited the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research, supported by the Norwegian Embassy in Jordan, as part of a project carried out in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to develop monitoring programs in the reserve and benefit from international expertise.

During the visit, the delegation discussed details of the project’s first phase, including workshops, practical training, and sample collection and analysis to be conducted in Aqaba this year and next.

The Jordanian delegation outlined the role of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) and its partners in monitoring and protecting the marine environment, as well as the environmental monitoring programs implemented through the Aqaba Marine Reserve, Ben Hayyan Laboratories, and the Marine Science Station. These programs are being evaluated, studied, and developed to help preserve biodiversity in the Gulf of Aqaba.

Officials at the Norwegian institute presented their monitoring programs, implementation mechanisms, and the ways in which results are used to support regulatory decision-making.

The delegation also toured the institute’s research vessel to observe Norway’s monitoring programs in practice.

Experts at the institute gave a detailed presentation on fisheries management programs, explaining how these efforts have contributed to conserving and sustaining fish stocks in Norway, and discussed the possibility of applying similar practices in the Gulf of Aqaba.

The delegation included Jafar Al-Omari, Maysoun Qutaifan, and Farah Al-Souqi from the Aqaba Marine Reserve; Zakaria Al-Mashaqbeh from the Marine Science Station; and Rana Saleh from UNDP.

//Petra// AF

19/08/2025 20:47:26