Minister Smith Strengthens Global Blue Economy Ties at Indian Maritime Week 2025 by Marver Woodley

Mumbai, India — November 2025

Fresh from his impactful participation at Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue, held alongside India Maritime Week 2025, Hon. Anthony Smith Jr., Minister of Agriculture, Land, Fisheries and the Blue Economy of Antigua and Barbuda, continued to raise the nation’s international profile through a series of high-level bilateral meetings with global leaders in the ocean and maritime sectors.

During his visit, Minister Smith engaged in strategic discussions with ministers and senior representatives from India, Mauritius, Singapore, the Maldives, Norway, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, the Netherlands, and Liberia. Each dialogue focused on strengthening cooperation in sustainable ocean development, sharing best practices, and identifying joint initiatives in research, innovation, and capacity building.

A highlight of his engagements was a cordial and forward-looking exchange with the Prime Minister of India, where discussions centred on enhancing collaboration between Antigua and Barbuda and India in areas such as maritime education, ocean technology, and Blue Economy policy frameworks.

Minister Smith emphasized Antigua and Barbuda’s commitment to building strategic partnerships that advance the sustainable use of marine resources, particularly through education, innovation, and youth engagement. He noted that such collaborations are key to ensuring equitable growth and ocean resilience among Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and beyond.

Accompanied by Ms. Marver Woodley, Senior Operations and Policy Manager within the Department of the Blue Economy, Minister Smith’s active participation in bilateral dialogues has reaffirmed Antigua and Barbuda’s position as a rising voice in global ocean governance and a leading advocate for partnership-driven Blue Economy transformation.