News Archives - WestMED

Marta Pascual presenting at WestMED's national 2025 event on Tourism in Spain

Spanish WestMED National event 2025: Opportunities and Future of Blue Tourism in Spain

1 April 2025/in News /by National Hub Spain

On 12 March 2025, the Spanish National Event of the WestMED Initiative took place in Madrid at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.

The event, from 9:00-14:00 CET, gathered around 56 participants from various sectors of tourism activities, from consultants, to hospitality, tour operators, service and products providers, marketing, maritime tourism businesses, recreational sectors, regional tourism authorities, and fisheries sector amongst others. The entire organizations/participants list that attended the event can be found at the end of this document.

In terms of representativeness, the event was attended by stakeholders from all coastal Autonomous Communities from Spain, excluding Ceuta, Melilla and Cantabria. Most participants came from the Madrid region, but the event also gathered participants from Andalucia, Valencia, Balearic Islads, Murcia, Canary Islands, Galicia, Cataluña, Basque Country and Asturias.

Event Objective
The event had the objective of presenting and discussing about current and future opportunities for Blue Tourism within Spain. To steer this conversation, main initiatives and ministries were invited as speakers to present the work they are doing with regards to sustainable tourism within Spain. Two projects (one funded by EU and another national one) were also invited to showcase how they are also advancing towards these blue tourism efforts.

Opening
The event started with some opening and welcome words from Mr. Antonio Rodríguez de Lievana Sahagún, Director General of Coordination of Internal Markets and other Communitarian Policies from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation (MAUC). Mr. Rodríguez de Liévana, expressed the views from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation with regards to blue economy as the ministry is very aware that the activities linked to the sea must be sustainable from the social, economic and environmental point of view and that they represent a valuable source of wealth and a fundamental asset for the settlement of the population. He then continued to explain that the event gathered representatives of the different administrations and other actors of the blue economy with the aim of having the opportunity to talk to each other about the challenges we face and the tools we have available to reach these blue economy objectives.

With regards to blue tourism, Mr. Rodríguez de Lievana, expressed the wish for a promising future for blue tourism in Spain, with a growth potential that could benefit both the local economy and environmental conservation, if managed in a responsible and sustainable manner. He also mentioned “With the right approach, this type of tourism can become an engine of economic development in coastal regions, as long as the balance between the enjoyment of natural resources and their preservation is respected.”

WestMED Initiative
After these opening words, the WestMED Initiative was presented by the National Hub from Spain for the WestMED Initiative, Mrs. Marta Pascual, who highlighted the efforts that WestMED Initiative is doing with regards to developing a sustainable tourism activity within the Mediterranean Sea. Mrs. Pascual also explained the recent developments of the newly constituted Technical Group on Sustainable Tourism within WestMED and presented some of the tasks, activities and achievements obtained by this technical group so far.

Sea Basin Strategies
The event was followed by an intervention from Mr. Javier Fernández, from ECORYS and Coordinator of the three of the Assistance Mechanisms of the EU Sea Basin Strategies. Mr. Fernández explained further opportunities, synergies and cooperation mechanisms that currently exist; not only within each of the Sea Basins, but also between the three Sea Basins (Western Mediterranean, Atlantic and Black Sea and potentially also with the new Greater North Sea Initiative). He also mentioned opportunities to link with the Union for the Medieterranean (UfM) and other Mediterranean Governance efforts.

UfM Study
Mr. Fernández talk was followed by an intervention from Mrs. Irene Alonso from ECORYS, who presented the latest findings from the study on the Implementation Roadmap of the Ministerial Declaration on Sustainable Blue Economy 2021. She highlighted those findings within the study related to blue tourism and highlighted that, despite being an important sector within the Mediterranean, many future opportunities are also envisioned.

Blue Book presentation
The event continued with the presentation of the “Blue Book” of Sun&Blue Congress by the Director of the congress, Mr. Tim Ott Reuter. This book is the compilation of the main outputs, messages and points that were raised during the 2^nd edition of the Sun&Blue Congress, which highlights all the topics that need to be aligned to obtain a real sustainable tourism (from energy, to water management, hospitality sustainability, diversification of experiences, efficiency of the processes, etc.).

After these intro speeches, the event had a short 30 min coffee break after which it was the turn of the various Ministries representatives to offer their perspective and knowledge on how blue tourism was addressed within their respective institutions.

Touristic offers in Spain
The first of the Ministries to take the floor was the Ministry of Industry and Tourism. Mrs. Ilona Shekyants Kazaryan, Subdirector general of sustainable touristic developments, mentioned the various efforts that MINTUR is doing with regards to promote and develop sustainable practices, activities and experiences within the touristic offers of Spain. She also mentioned the funding calls that the Ministry has launched within “Experiencias Turismo” for further advancing and developing some of these sustainable ideas into tourism products and offers.

Pesca Tourism
After Mrs. Shekyants intervention it was time for Mr. Manuel Pablos López, Subdirector general of economic sustainability and social affairs from the General Secretary of Fisheries from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture. Mr. Pablos López explained the efforts that within the MAPA they are developing towards pesca-tourism and maritime tourism activities. Both activities being of tourism, but having the fisheries sector, their traditions and culture always as driver of those tourist offers. He also highlighted the funding opportunities that exist for blue tourism activities within the EMFAF funding opportunities.

Spanish Maritime Cluster
After these two ministries speeches it was the turn for the Spanish Maritime Cluster to present the activities, they are developing and supporting with regards to sustainable tourism. Mr. Vicente Capell, explained the efforts the cluster was supporting with regards to the recreational tourism activities, decarbonization of recreational vessels and nautical ports, etc.

Tourism and MSP
Blue Tourism, being a maritime activity that occurs at Spanish coastlines and maritime spaces, also requires some allocation of space within the maritime spatial plans. As such, the event was followed up by the interesting intervention of Mrs. Aurora Mesa Fraile, Chief of the Maritime Spatial Planning from the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, who explained how the Spanish maritime spatial plans have been designed, what are their next steps and how the blue tourism sector has been incorporated into the needs and designs of these plans.

Blue Tourism Project examples
The event closed with the presentation of two interesting projects that deal with blue tourism within Spain. One from the Atlantic fringe and another one from the Mediterranean perspective.

Mrs. María Cardeiro López, manager of FUNDAMAR (Fundación para la Pesca y el Marisqueo) and Project manager of FISATUR (Red Atlántica de Experiencias Turísticas para la promoción del patrimonio cultural marítimo pesquero), explained the project´s objectives, main achievements and future activities.

Mrs. Nayra Irga Pérez Sánchez and Shonia Cruz, from REDDETUMAR, presented the Red Nacional Turismo Marinero, a national network of maritime tourism activities within Spain that aims to gather all maritime tourism activities, offers and developments to serve as a real diversification option for fishermen to earn some extra income.

Concluding remarks
The concluded by Mr. Omado Collado Díaz and Mrs. Rosa Bernardo, both National Coordinators from the WestMED Initiative and the Atlantic Action Plan, respectively, and from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation (MAUC). They both thanked those present at the event and highlighted the efforts that the WestMED Initiative is and will keep doing with regards to advancing on sustainable tourism opportunities within the blue economy in Spain.

Main next steps

Encourage an interministerial communication within all Ministries dealing with sustainable tourism topics within Spain (MAUC, MAPA, Hacienda, MITECO, etc.)
Encourage communication and connections between sustainable tourism stakeholders within Spain.

Click here for the full agenda and event annnouncement page (in Spanish)

Links to media coverage

https://x.com/WestMedStrat/status/1896953392075026552

https://www.turismomarinero.com/evento-westmed-oportunidades-y-futuro-del-turismo-azul/

https://winbigproject.eu/events/28/national-event-westmed-opportunities-and-future-of-blue-tourism-in-spain

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sun-blue-congress_sunandbluecongress-turismo-turismoazul-ugcPost-7305540744797159424-Msv-?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAhRFRwB4YBy4noC0QYjbj0Fkc0NLtEmRK4

https://regp.pesca.mapama.es/visibilidad/eventos/evento-nacional-iniciativa-westmed-oportunidades-y-futuro-del-turismo-azul-en

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/marta-pascual-51088b3a_evento-nacional-iniciativa-westmed-oportunidades-activity-7303707516566138884-MApq?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAhRFRwB4YBy4noC0QYjbj0Fkc0NLtEmRK4

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/marta-pascual-51088b3a_evento-nacional-iniciativa-westmed-oportunidades-activity-7302361086945583105-Ke8E?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAhRFRwB4YBy4noC0QYjbj0Fkc0NLtEmRK4

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sun-blue-congress_agenda-eventos-nacional-westmed-12-de-marzo-activity-7302967512361558016-dt_5?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAhRFRwB4YBy4noC0QYjbj0Fkc0NLtEmRK4

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/fundacion-fundamar_fisatur-turismoazul-westmed-activity-7305594957380173824-RgYI?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAhRFRwB4YBy4noC0QYjbj0Fkc0NLtEmRK4

Ruben Eiras and Lidia Rossi showing just signed memorandum of Undertanding between MadBAN and CALLMEBLUE

Strategic Cooperation between CallMEBLUE and MEDBAN

25 March 2025/in News /by Communication team

On 18 March 2025, CALLMEBLUE (Cluster Alliance Med Blue) and MedBAN (Mediterranean Blue Acceleration Network) formalized their collaboration through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Strategic Cooperation.

This agreement marks a significant milestone in strengthening synergies between these maritime cluster initiatives, both of whom are committed to fostering sustainable innovation and advancing the Blue Economy across the Mediterranean region through supporting sustainable blue startups and SMEs

The MoU was signed during the MedBAN Final Conference 2025, a key event bringing together stakeholders from across the blue economy ecosystem. The agreement establishes a framework for long-term cooperation, facilitating the exchange of knowledge, best practices, and support services for SMEs in the sector.

The document was officially signed by Ruben Eiras, Secretary General of Fórum Oceano (Lead partner of MedBAN) and Lidia Rossi, Managing Director, ForMare – Polo Nazionale per lo Shipping (Lead partner of CallmeBLUE).

Together, CallmeBLUE and MedBAN are committed to driving innovation, digitalization, and resilience in the blue economy, supporting SMEs, and fostering strategic partnerships for a more sustainable future.

WestMED support
Both initiatives have been and are actively supported by the WestMED Initiative. Not only through WestMED’s Maritime Cluster Alliance, but also ongoing with Stephanie Vella (WestMED’s National Hub Malta), being an official MedBAN ambassador and Lorella Ciutti (WestMED’s National Hub Portugal), being MedBAN’s project coordinator.

More about CALLMEBLUE | More about MedBAN

Ufm Mediterranean pavillion stand with people passing by at an exhibition

UfM and Interreg NEXT MED renew commitment to tackling regional challenges together

13 March 2025/in News /by Communication team

12 March 2025, Barcelona – The Union for the Mediterranean and Interreg NEXT MED, the largest EU-funded transnational cooperation programme promoting socioeconomic development and environmental initiatives in the Mediterranean Basin, have reached an agreement formally extending collaboration between both parties for at least another three years.

The Memorandum of Understanding, which highlights how both Euro-Mediterranean institutions strive to reinforce political, socioeconomic, and cultural ties in the region, was signed by UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel and Director General of the Interreg NEXT MED Programme Giovanna Medde. The agreement, significantly, foresees mutual participation in events and conferences and, when relevant, extends invitations to participate in internal meetings as observers. It will also see the organisations continue to exchange information on projects of common interest, identify joint coordination actions and raise awareness of regional challenges together.

“The UfM and Interreg NEXT MED are united by the common goal of enhanced dialogue and cooperation between Mediterranean countries. The indisputable success of our partnership over the years is a positive sign for the future,” said UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel. “The UfM remains convinced of the long-term constructive influence of this alliance and looks forward to three more years of shared accomplishments.”

The long-standing partnership between these Euro-Mediterranean institutions has resulted in a multitude of impactful actions including Interreg NEXT MED’s participation in the UfM-sponsored Mediterranean Pavilion at the latest three United Nations Climate Change Conferences, its commemoration of the anniversary of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, and involvement in thematic UfM forums on youth empowerment or the blue economy, among others.

“The UfM-Interreg NEXT MED agreement has been instrumental in enhancing coordination between both institutions,” said Giovanna Medde, Director General of the Interreg NEXT MED Programme. “It is essential for developing and implementing jointly-owned solutions to the complex challenges our region faces. I am confident that renewing it will help us move closer to achieving our common goal of a more integrated, peaceful and prosperous Mediterranean.”

Source UfM website

2nd call for experts WestMED stakeholder Group on Susttainable tourism incl beach with kayak

2nd Call for Experts: WestMED Technical Group on Sustainable Tourism | Deadline 31 March 2025 (EOB)

10 March 2025/in News /by Communication team

Deadline to register for this 2nd Call for experts: 31st March 2025 (EOB). Only applications submitted within the deadline will be accepted. In case of too many applications, prioritization will be given to experts from Southern shore countries of the Western Mediterranean region.

About the Technical Group on Sustainable Tourism

Given the fact that tourism plays such a significant role in the Western Mediterranean as one of the key contributors to both the upside gains as well as the downside risks of the blue economy, there is an urgent need for enhancing eco-tourism in the region. In order to address the challenges of the sector in the Mediterranean, we should enhance EU and external territorial cooperation (including non-EU WestMED countries as partners such as Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia) and promote active knowledge sharing amongst stakeholders from both the northern and southern shore, to multiply results.

The Westmed Initiative has set up a technical group on Sustainable Tourism, the objective of which is to serve as a technical forum to discuss trends and opportunities towards sustainable tourism within the region and to provide support to participants to develop project ideas around the topics already set at EU level with regards to the tourism-related topics of green transition, digitalization, promotion of social inclusion, governance, and skills.

In 2024 we issued a call for experts and we are reissuing a second call, calling for experts particularly in the Southern shore countries of the Westmed.

We are looking for technical stakeholders of tourism initiatives including: partners of the Interreg Euro MED Sustainable Tourism Mission; partners from previous EU tourism projects; Mediterranean Tourism Stakeholders from the public and private sector; Non-EU Associated Partners; Travel Foundation; Associations; Networks; Tourism businesses; research and innovation centers; technological centers; universities; ports and their representatives; townhalls; yachting/small cruising; nautical sector, etc.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU

Role: This expert group will suggest project proposals and be the main contact point for establishing consortia and projects for future EU funding opportunities around sustainable tourism. The expert group will also serve as the main forum to discuss specific topics of interest to the group.
Participants in the WG are currently in the process of setting up project proposal.

Requested involvement: This group will gather periodically to be informed about opportunities, recent developments and discuss specific topics of their choice. We envision to have 3-4 online meetings with the expert group per year.

Application

For questions: contact Marta Pascual from the WestMED National Hub Spain or Stephanie Vella from the WestMED Nation Hub Malta

Check the dedicated Sustainable Tourism Technical Group page

coastline Mediterranean with sea and olive tree on the rocks

Family picture of participants Callmeblue project meeting in Tunisia on 21 February 2025

WestMED Tunisia participates in the 3rd transnational CALLMEBLUE project meeting

26 February 2025/in News /by Communication team

The 3rd Transnational CallmeBLUE project meeting, took place successfully in Gammarth (Tunisia) on 21 February 2025.

Next to the project partners (all representing different maritime clusters in the Mediterranean region), Anja Detant, Project Officer from CINEA – European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency and Slim Jerbia, from WestMED Tunisia were present.

This meeting served as a pivotal milestone for project partners, to showcase the progress achieved and outline the next strategic steps. Key highlights included:

✅ Maritime Cluster Blue Economy Reporting: Presentation of the Maritime Cluster Blue Economy reporting findings, including a comprehensive needs assessment and stakeholder mapping.

✅ Matchmaking Local Workshops: Successful engagement of key stakeholders in Tunisia, Algeria, and Mauritania to explore blue economy opportunities and the role of maritime clusters in fostering sustainable growth.

✅ Feasibility Study on Emerging Clusters: Ongoing assessment in Morocco and Egypt to evaluate the economic and social impact of developing maritime clusters.

✅ Capacity-Building Initiatives: Launch of Learning Labs and Advanced Learning Labs on Business Activities, equipping future maritime cluster actors with critical skills and knowledge.

✅ Regional Cooperation & Policy Dialogue: Advancing stakeholder mobilization for enhanced south-south collaboration, alongside discussions on regulatory frameworks and funding mechanisms.

✅ Business Forum: A dedicated platform to drive collaboration and facilitate north-south matchmaking opportunities within the maritime sector.

✅ Regional Alliance Development: Structuring a long-term cooperation framework through the Hub Azul initiative, reinforcing connections among North African and Mediterranean stakeholders.

The meeting underlined the significance of alliances and collaborative efforts, leveraging strategic frameworks such as the WestMED Initiative and the Union For the Mediterranean (UfM) to drive impactful, sustainable change in the region.

For more information, visit the CALLMEBLUE website or contact Slim Jerbia (WestMED National Hub Tunisia)

group pucture decarbonisation conference Valencia port February 2025

WestMED participates in the Fundación Valenciaport conference “Innovation initiatives for decarbonising the Mediterranean”

15 February 2025/in News /by National Hub Spain

On 11 February 2025, Fundación Valenciaport organised the conference “Innovation initiatives for decarbonising the Mediterranean” in Valencia. The main objective was to present the many initiatives in which it participates, related to energy transition and decarbonization.

The event brought together more than fifty representatives of the port community with national and international speakers specialised in port sustainability.

During the opening, Antonio Torregrosa, general director of Fundación Valenciaport, welcomed the attendees and Leonardo Manzari, representative of the WestMED Initiative in Italy. Mr Manzari presented the main challenges of decarbonization in the Mediterranean port logistics sector.

Alternative fuel for maritime transport
The first block of the day was focused on alternative fuels for maritime transport.

Manolis Annetis, research engineer at the Maritime Risk Group of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), presented the objectives and progress of the GREENMED project; an initiative that aims to promote green shipping in the Mediterranean basin by analyzing the energy demand of the currently operating fleet and evaluating transition scenarios towards a sustainable future. He also presented a techno-economic analysis of the current bunkering system in the region and the actions needed to promote decarbonization in port logistics.

Next, Aurelio Lázaro, Senior Project Manager of Fundación Valenciaport, presented the progress and first results of the POWER4MED project. This project aims to develop tools to facilitate the path towards carbon neutrality of three sectors; fishing vessels, commercial vessels and marinas.

This session was concluded with a roundtable discussion focused on new fuels in the maritime industry. This roundtable was moderated by Francisco Tinaut, Professor of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) in the CMT- Clean Mobility&Thermofluids. Daniel García (POSEIDON), Jan Octavio Wilske (SEAFAIRER), Marta Pascual (WestMED), Manolis Annetis (GREENMED) and Aurelio Lázaro (POWER4MED) participated in this roundtable.

Decarbonising Ports
Marina Arroyo, Project Manager of Fundación Valenciaport, began the second block of the day with the presentation of the SEANERGY project. SEANERGY seeks to move towards “Zero Emissions” ports. During his speech, he highlighted the Catalogue of Technologies for Port Decarbonization, one of the main tools of the project to facilitate the energy transition.

Next, Ignacio Benítez, Senior Project Manager of Fundación Valenciaport, presented the BLUEBARGE project, whose main objective is to develop a barge designed to supply electric power to docked and anchored ships, through the use of batteries of different technologies, contributing to the reduction of emissions and the promotion of more sustainable infrastructures in the port logistics sector.

Subsequently, the SEANERGY workshop was held by Marina Arroyo and Sandra Roselló, deputy director of Fundación Valenciaport, where they explained the main resources developed by the project to help port organizations to develop their energy transition strategies.

Adaptation to Climate Change in Spanish Ports
The last block of the day focused on the adaptation of ports to climate change, which began with the intervention of Begoña Pérez, from the Department of Climate Change and Prediction of Puertos del Estado, who presented the strategies to improve the resilience of Spanish ports against the environmental impacts of climate change.

The conference concluded in the afternoon with the presentation of the ARSINOE project, an initiative that studies the impact of climate change on ports with the aim of developing strategies to mitigate its effects.

Noemí Monterde, Senior Project Manager of Fundación Valenciaport, shared the functioning of the Climate Change Observatory of the Port Authority of Valencia, created within the framework of this initiative, with the aim of analyzing the effect of climate phenomena on port infrastructures and operations.

For his part, José María García-Valdecasas, head of Coastal Services at NOW Systems, presented Clevertool, a tool designed to evaluate these impacts and support the definition of adaptation measures.

For more information about this event, contact Marta Pascual (National Hub Spain)

WestMED event Libya: Investing in the Sustainable Blue Economy

11 February 2025/in News /by Communication team

This event took place on February 8, 2025 in Benghazi, and was organised in cooperation with the Ministery of Investment. Its main focus was to highlight and discuss investment opportunities in the blue economy and their role in sustainable development, while at the same time highlighting Libya’s participation in the WestMED Initiative and its significance in fostering regional collaboration.

The workshop opened with welcoming remarks and appreciation for the organizing committee. The Minister of Investment delivered the keynote speech, stressing the importance of cooperation between institutions and the need to diversify Libya’s economy beyond oil through sustainable investments. He also reaffirmed his support for the WestMED Initiative and its role in strengthening regional partnerships.

This was followed by remarks from Dr. Abeer Al-Awami, Director of Strategic Planning and Investment at the Ministry, and Masauda Abuarosha, Libya’s National Hub Representative, who introduced the WestMED Initiative and emphasized Libya’s role in advancing the blue economy. The Italian National Hub Representative, Mr. Leonardo Manzari, delivered an insightful presentation outlining the initiative’s objectives, providing real-world examples, and showcasing key achievements. His presentation was well-received by attendees.

Throughout the event, 18 presentations were delivered, covering various topics related to the blue economy, investment opportunities, and sustainable development. The discussions were engaging, highlighting both challenges and promising prospects for Libya in this sector.

The event gathered 56 attendees representing academia, research organizations, government ministries, international representatives, media, and NGOs. Notable participants included universities such as Benghazi, Tobruk, and Omar Al-Mukhtar, research bodies like the Libyan Authority for Scientific Research, representatives from multiple government ministries, the Benghazi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and diplomatic representatives from Italy and Morocco. also from the League of Arab States.

At the conclusion of the event, certificates of appreciation were awarded to all participants, and a shield of gratitude was presented to Mr. Leonardo Manzari and Dr Masauda Abuarosha. The Minister of Investment hosted an official lunch for all attendees in recognition of their contributions.

The workshop resulted in several key recommendations, including the need to strengthen investment in the blue economy, support the private sector, enhance vocational and higher education, secure financial backing for projects, and ensure environmental sustainability.

The next workshop is planned for after Ramadan (most likely April 2025), continuing efforts to advance Libya’s blue economy.

For more information on this event, contact Masauda Abuarosha (WestMED National Hub Libya)

Elke Westenberger presenting the WestMED Initiative at Salon Haleutis 2025 in Agadir, Morocco

WestMED and Moroccan Blue Economy developments presented at Salon Halieutis 2025

10 February 2025/in News /by National Hub Morocco

WestMED Morocco organised a Blue Economy presentation during the 7th edition of Morocco’s’ Salon Halieutis, a biennial international meeting of the fishing sector. It did so, as part of the EU’s Morocco Delegation exhibition. The fair took place in Agadir from February 6 to 9, 2025, and was themed: “Research and innovation for a sustainable fishing sector.”

Joint presentation with Morocco’s Blue Economy Development Commission: CIDEB
Following a proposal from the Delegation of the European Union in Morocco, WestMED’s Moroccan National Hub, Mr. Hassan Agouzoul, seized the opportunity to also invite Ms. Shiham Fellahi for a joint presentation focused on the Blue Economy. Ms Fellahi is the coordinator of the Interministerial Commission for the Development of the Blue Economy (CIDEB), that was created in 2023 to manage the development of the Moroccan Blue Economy Strategy, officially launched in February 2024.

At the opening of her presentation Ms. Elke Westenberger, acting as support to WestMED’s Moroccan National Hub, expressed WestMEDs appreciation for this opportunity to present the WestMED Initiative at this platform.

She presented the background this Initiative and the results that have been achieved through assisting projects and project ideas focused on strenghtening the sustainable blue economy; mainly by helping to find project partners and finding funding funding opportunities. She also highlighted the work of the regional thematic technical stakeholder groups that have been created, focused on sectoral discussions and joint project proposals: green shipping, sustainable aquaculture, the Maritime Clusters Alliance and the recently created technical group on Sustainable Tourism. During her presentation, Ms Westenberger made direct references to the upcoming Moroccan Blue Economy strategy.

WestMED Morocco (upcoming) activities
Ms Westenberger also recalled the main event organized by WestMED Morocco in 2024: a national dialogue focused on the main challenges of blue economy implementation in Morocco – specifically regarding Integrated Institutional Governance, Energy, Seawater Desalination, Green Hydrogen and Biodiversity, climate resilience and the development of a National Blue Tourism Strategy. This event took place with the participation of leading policymakers and private stakeholders. This was followed by an overview of WestMED activities planned for 2025 in Morocco; mainly the organization of an in-person national blue economy dialogue as well as blue economy webinars for the stakeholders of Morocco’s 9 coastal regions with the objective of encouraging the creation of maritime clusters in each of these regions.

Blue Economy Development in Morocco
Ms. Siham Fellahi, from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Budget Department, then took the floor in her function of coordinator of the Interministerial Commission for the Development of the Blue Economy (CIDEB) that was created in the framework of the World Banks financing instrument PforR (Program for Results).

The Blue Economy Results Program is a strategic initiative supported by a $350 million contribution from the World Bank and a $5 million grant from the PROBLUE fund. Led by CIDEB, eight government departments are mobilized to strengthen the management of marine resources, integrating economic development, job creation and environmental preservation. Coordination mechanisms, such as a Project Management Unit, have been established, and the active participation of local communities is encouraged through innovative projects aimed at supporting the economic development of communities and the conservation of marine ecosystems, in accordance with SDG 14.

She gave an overview of the state of the blue economy in Morocco and its national significance, as well as the implementation of the blue economy PforR aiming at developing a Moroccan blue economy strategy over 5 years. The program has two pilot regions, Souss-Massa and Tangiers-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, which are the main blue economy contributors through the fishery and tourism sectors. 8 main institutional partner organizations representing ministries, government agencies and research institutes collaborate to roll out the program.

Ms. Fellahi placed a particular accent on the necessary development of maritime clusters and blue finance, which corroborates the main working themes identified also by the WestMED National Hub and bodes well for forthcoming collaborations this year.

After these two presentations a discussion with the audience followed whereby great interest was shown in the available funding opportunities, although it had to be made clear that WestMED is an Assistance Mechanism and does not fund projects itself.

It was a pleasant event in a collegial and informative setting, and we reiterate our thanks to the EU for its invitation and to Ms. Fellahi for her presence and insights.

For more information: contact Elke Westenberger or Hassan Agouzoul (WestMED Morocco): morocco@westmed-inititiative.ec.europa.eu

EU in Morocco links on this event:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/euinmorocco/
https://www.facebook.com/share/1Ek8iV7zks/?mibextid=wwXIfr

More information on the Blue Economy in Morocco

slider poster with vector of project people holding puzzle pieces

Regular updates on WestMED (Technical) thematic stakeholder group activities

10 February 2025/in News /by Communication team

The WestMED Assistance Mechanism (WM-AM) has initiated several thematic discussion platforms. Current and future maritime developments are being discussed with lead stakeholders from the participating countries under the guidance of WM-AM facilitators, with a focus on concrete actions – often in the form of joint project development.

To provide insights in the objectives and activities of these stakeholder groups, regular updates will be provided in the form of short presentations. These presentations can be found as a pdf file on the respective thematic stakeholder group pages:

If you are interested to know more or consider joining, just get in touch with the respective WestMED National Hubs that are mentioned on each of these pages

5th WestMED National Event of Mauritania: Towards a national strategy for the blue economy

6 February 2025/in News /by National Hub Mauritania

As part of the WestMED initiative, the WestMED National Hub Mauritania, in close coordination with the Ministry of Fisheries, Maritime and Port Infrastructures, the Mauritanian Maritime Cluster and the CALLMEBLUE Project, organised the 5th national event for the promotion of the blue economy in Mauritania on Monday 20 and Tuesday 21 January at the Nouakchott Hotel.

This important event was chaired by Mr El Vadil Sidaty, Minister of Fisheries, Maritime and Port Infrastructures, and attended by Mr Sidi Ali Sidi Boubacar, Secretary General of the MPIMP, Mr Hamadi Baba Hamadi, President of the Mauritanian Maritime Cluster, Mr Ezzedine Kacem, President of the Tunisian Maritime Cluster and Mr Matteo Bocci, Representative of the WestMED Initiative.

The event was organised in hybrid mode and attracted a high level of participation with a total of 92 participants.

Next to WestMED’s Mauritanian national hub and the Mauritanian Maritime Cluster, representatives from the main national institutions, the private sector, socio-professional organisations, civil society, national scientific research institutions, former fisheries ministers, the Tunisian Maritime Cluster, the northern Mediterranean clusters, members of the Alliance of Mediterranean Maritime Clusters, the CALLMEBLUE project team and the Technical and Financial Partners (EU, GIZ and Japanese Cooperation) were amongst the participants.

Objectives
The specific objectives of this 5th national event were to present the WestMed Initiative and its Technical Assistance Mechanism, the progress made especially in terms of identification and support for Blue Economy projects; present the status of progress in the creation of the Mauritanian Maritime Cluster and the main projects being carried out under the WestMED initiative (with a focus on CallMeBLUE), support cooperation and dialogue between the actors of the Mauritanian Blue Economy and other experts from the north and south of the Mediterranean, identify ideas for national and regional projects in order to define the broad lines of the national strategy of Blue Economy.

Opening
In his opening speech, the Minister pointed out that the promotion of the blue economy is one of the priorities of the President of the Republic, Mr Mohamed Ould Cheikh Al Ghazwani, who has launched an initiative along these lines, which has been officially adopted by the member countries of the Arab League. He also emphasised the MPIMP’s (Ministère de la Pêche et des Infrastructures Maritimes et Portuaires) commitment to drawing up a strategy in the very near future.

After the official opening session, the participants followed presentations by eminent national researchers on the diagnosis of the main sectors of the blue economy in Mauritania (fishing, aquaculture, tourism, MSP), in addition to a presentation of the WestMED initiative, its priorities and current projects, by Mr Matteo Bocci. Following these presentations, a rich debate was opened between the participants.

CallmeBLUE workshop
The Andalusian Maritime and Marine Cluster (CMMA) also organised a workshop dedicated to the the CallmeBLUE project titled ‘Exploring the future of maritime clusters: cooperation and regional potential.’

After an introduction by WestMED’s central team member Matteo Bocci, the Director of International Projects of CMMA, Elizabeth Chapman, took the floor and explained the objectives of CallmeBLUE. This was followed by the Project Manager of the BIG (Blue Italian Growth) Cluster, Sara Tedesco. She focused on analysing the different cluster initiatives, the most promising blue sectors, the main challenges, obstacles and actions to promote existing initiatives, boost business opportunities and activities for the exchange of ideas and knowledge.

After these introductions 2 expert panels followed. Panel I (Exploring the future of maritime clusters: Cooperation and regional potential), consisted of the president of the Mauritanian Maritime Cluster, Hamadi Baba Hamadi, the president of the Tunisian Maritime Cluster, Captain Ezzedine Kacem, the president of CMMA, Javier Noriega and, finally, Sara Tedesco as representative of the BIG (Blue Italian Growth) Cluster. Each of these panellists presented their cluster, reviewing the services they offer and the projects they have in their portfolio, as well as sharing their best practices and alliances, emphasising the fundamental role they play in the advancement of the Blue Economy.

In the second panel (Boosting blue sectors with potential through collaboration), the Blue Project Manager of Forum Ocean, Lorella Ciuti, the general delegate of ANIMA, Emmanuel Noutary, and the director of the Europe Service of Pôle Mer Méditerranée, Colin Ruel, took the floor to explore the concrete paths of cooperation between European and African clusters, promoting a sustainable and equitable Blue Economy in Mauritania and in the Mediterranean.

Day 2
On the second day of the event, participants were divided into four technical groups: i) Fisheries and Aquaculture, ii) Green Hydrogen, Renewable Energies and Desalination, iii) Sustainable Tourism and MSP and iv) Maritime Transport, Ports and Shipbuilding. The technical groups worked for a day on analysing the challenges and opportunities of the main sectors of the blue economy in Mauritania and identifying ideas for national and regional projects and the broad outlines of the future national strategy for promoting the blue economy in Mauritania.

The 2nd day was also marked by the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Tunisian and Mauritanian clusters in the context of CallMeBlue and the WestMED Clusters Alliance.

Media coverage
The meeting received extensive media coverage, with all the official national press (Agence Mauritanienne d’Information, Télévision Nationale Al Mauritaniya, Radio de Mauritanie), private television channels and Internet press platforms present. The event was featured as one of the main news items on the official and private channels in French, Arabic and the national languages, broadcast on the evening of 20/01/2025. Extracts from the discussions were also broadcast live on Facebook.

5è manifestation de l’Initiative de la Méditerranée Occidentale pour la promotion de l’économie bleue – Agence mauritanienne d’information

About CallMeBlue

The CallmeBLUE-Cluster ALLiance MEd BLUE project is a regional initiative co-funded by the European Union, dedicated to strengthen existing cluster alliances in the Mediterranean area and to accelerate regional North-South cooperation towards the emergence of strategic maritime clusters. Focused on innovation, collaboration and sustainable development, CallmeBLUE aims to drive positive change in the blue economy landscape.

CallmeBLUE started on 1 October 2023 and will end on 30 September 2025. The consortium partners represent a diverse coalition of organisations from Italy (Formare; Federazione del Mare, and Technology Cluster Blue Italian Growth); Portugal (Fórum Oceano); Spain (Andalusia Maritime-Maritime Cluster); Algeria (Leanovator); Tunisia (Cluster Maritime Tunisien); Greece (Strategis-Maritime Center of Excellence); and France (Pôle Mer Méditerranée, and ANIMA).