aMBASSADOR dOMINGO-aLBERT hIGHLIGHTS bENEFITS OF ppp INITIATIVE 
AT GLOBAL SUMMIT OF WOMEN HELD IN BERLIN

27 June 2007 — Philippine Ambassador to Germany Delia Domingo-Albert reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that she highlighted the beneficial results of a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative as a practical strategy to bridging the technology divide across developing countries at the Ministerial Roundtable of the Global Summit of Women held in Berlin on 14 June 2007.  

In her intervention at the Ministerial Roundtable, Ambassador Domingo-Albert brought up the example of a multi-party joint venture in boat-making, commercial fishing and fish processing for new markets, initiated by a Philippine company led by a woman entrepreneur.  

“The transfer of technology and improved business practices from one Asian developing country with advanced experience to another developing country in Africa has picked up pace, particularly with women taking the lead as demonstrated by an actual case initiated in the Philippines.  It is an example of a Public-Private Partnership that addresses poverty through job creation, upgrading of production practices, gaining access to new markets and contributing to efforts to conserve and protect the environment ,” Ambassador Albert said.  

The new venture company, called Phineghan, will engage in training Ghanaians in building fiberglass-hulled boats, managing a commercial fishing operation and setting up a fish processing facility in Ghana .  The Philippines-Netherlands-Ghana business venture in integrated fish industry development is backed by the Government of Ghana and supported by the Dutch Government with private sector investors.  

Together, these partners from private and public sectors will engage in a major effort to address the need of the fishing industry in West Africa while contributing to environmental sustainability of the Ghanaian forests.  Under the project, it is envisaged that 9,000 wooden boats will be replaced within five to six years, with a projected replacement rate of 1,500 to 1,800 per year.  For commercial fishing vessels, about 500 will be replaced with modern fishing vessels made of fiberglass, at a yearly construction rate of 30 to 40 trawlers.  

With the introduction of modern fiberglass boats suited for open-sea fishing for longer periods of time, there will be improved fish catch, particularly tuna and other fish varieties that abound along the coastlines of West Africa .  Furthermore, the boat-making facility will build a tuna fishing fleet to replace wooden dugout boats common in the West African coast, thereby controlling the rampant cutting of trees for boat-making, a practice deemed harmful to the environment.  

“The ultimate beneficiaries of the PPP initiative are the families in the fishing communities.  The introduction of improved technology and establishment of a new company has created jobs, new products and new markets, thereby increasing possibilities for better income and quality of life.  Subsequently, the women in the fishing communities can engage in new livelihood enterprises in fish products for local consumers,” Ambassador Albert noted.  END

/jay

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