screenshot webmanagercenter news website tunisia

Pour une unification des stratégies sectorielles dans plusieurs secteurs du domaine maritime

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Source: webmangercenter.com

La secrétaire générale chargée des Affaires maritimes, Asma Shiri, a indiqué, mercredi 9 juin 2021, qu’elle souhaite achever le diagnostic de l’espace maritime en Tunisie avant la fin de l’année 2021.

Lors d’une visite effectuée dans le gouvernorat de Mahdia, elle a ajouté qu’un comité de pilotage, comprenant des représentants de tous les ministères concernés, œuvre à finaliser ce diagnostic, dans l’objectif de concevoir une stratégie nationale dédiée au domaine maritime.

En lire plus sur le site webmanagercenter

 

screenshot econostrum website with article on clusters

Les start-up et les transfers de technologie, nouveau souffle pour les clusters méditerranéens

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Source: Econostrum

Arrivés voici une vingtaine d’années dans les pays méditerranéens, avec comme pionniers les incubateurs d’El Ghazala (Tunisie), Berytech (Liban) et Casablanca Technopark (Maroc), les écosystèmes d’innovation se sont rapidement développés dans ces régions. Les parcs technologiques (souvent baptisés technoparks) ou clusters (grappe d’entreprises en français), spécialisés dans des secteurs précis, sont venus compléter le maillage en mutualisant les compétences entre entreprises du même secteur d’activité ou de la même filière.

En lire plus

screenshot of malta independent website with article headline and aerial of Malta

Malta Maritime Forum says more direction needed through an updated maritime policy

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Source: Malta independent

The Malta Maritime Forum has urged the need for more direction through an updated maritime policy for the sector.

The interests of the maritime industry were discussed with the Leader of the Opposition and the Shadow Minister for Transport during a regular meeting which the Malta Maritime Forum (MMF) seeks to hold with the country’s policy makers.

Read the full article on the website of the Malta independent

 

screenshot malago-how newspaper - econmia azul article

La economía azul genera 300.000 empleos en Andalucía

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Source: Málago hoy

La economía azul, es decir, la relacionada con mares y océanos; genera en Andalucía 300.000 empleos y 17.000 millones de euros, lo que supone un 10,5% del PIB de la región, sólo dos puntos menos que el turismo. Estas son los principales datos que se extraen del informe La Economía Azul en Andalucía que ha elaborado la Confederación de Empresarios de Andalucía(CEA). 

Leer el artículo completo

event announcement poster with a 3 p[eople working on a project proposal of people

Effective Project Proposal Development for EU Funding | 29 june 2021 | Online

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This pilot training session is aimed at Blue Economy stakeholders in the Southern Mediterranean who are interested in acquiring basic knowledge and skills for EU project proposal development.

The training will include sessions on the logical framework approach, do’s and don’ts in the preparation of these type of projects, consortium building, as well as concrete examples of on-going blue economy related projects counting with a presence of Southern Mediterranean partners.

This event has passed.  If interested and you would like more information – please contact us

text guide on EU funding for toursm drawing of EU tourist destinations, train, plane and euro coins

New online Guide on EU funding for tourism

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The new ‘Guide on EU funding for tourism’ highlights the wide range of funding programmes relevant to the tourism ecosystem included in the new budget, Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027, and Next Generation EU.

This online guide comes with new EU programmes working towards a more sustainable, inclusive and digital EU economy. The guide gathers information on EU funding sources with the highest potential to support investments in tourism.

It focuses on practical questions.

  • Who can apply?
  • Which actions are supported?
  • What kind of funding is available?

The user-friendly guide contains links to the relevant EU programmes’ websites that publish the latest developments on annual work programmes or calls for proposals and technical details per programme. Finally, it points to examples of good projects co-funded by EU funds in the past.

 

Visit the online funding for tourism  guide here

oceanography master program announcement poster

Want to do a MSc in Applied Oceanography offered by the University of Malta?

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Source: University of Malta

Deadline for registration: 25 June, 2021

Whether you are a student just finishing your first degree or an already qualified professional wishing to enhance and diversify your career, this is the course that fits your aspirations to be a marine professional prepared to take the opportunities of this decade dedicated to the oceans. It is the right course for those who want to sharpen their talents and wish to shape their career to fit the future challenges of the knowledge based society which will rely more extensively on our sustainable relationship with the sea.

It is also an opportunity to study in Malta, the place where everybody wants to be. We have also some scholarships to offer to those who need a push of support. This year we have a partnership from two international companies (AquaBioTech and Deltares respectively) and we are offering three scholarships to EU candidates.

The course is intended to train post-graduate students and professionals on state-of-the-art methodologies and tools to measure, understand and predict the marine environment, and derive sustained benefits from the sea. It is elaborated over a course programme spanning and merging the scientific, technical and applicative aspects of oceanography to offer students a wide-ranging integrated approach, linking science to management, putting technology at the service of users and stakeholders, and providing tools and training for more efficient service oriented applications. Targeted areas of such applications include: environmental monitoring and surveillance, assessment and mitigation of risks, marine science-based policy development and strategic planning, climate change, sustainable resource exploitation, ocean governance, marine industries and service provision, and the overall empowerment of human resources to face current and emerging challenges in the marine domain.

While retaining the necessary scientific elements related to the acquisition and use of data and its transformation into knowledge, the course targets to put an emphasis on achievement of skills, and empower students to excel in performance on applications and operational practices.

The Master course in Applied Oceanography is offered to both local and foreign students.

Visit the website for more information and scholarship opportunities 

AquaBioTech Group and Deltares are partners in the delivery of this course.

MSP event poster

MSP as booster for Blue Economy – Ensuring a coherent planning across the Western Mediterranean region

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The WestMED – MSPglobal joint webinar, held on May 11th 2021, focused on advancing a step closer to a Mediterranean MSP perspective, a perspective of collaboration, coexistence and synergetic relationship between the different components of the maritime sectors. The main objective of this event was to examine different forms of governance relating to MSP and how can data collection and analyses could be used more consistently to boost the blue economy at the local/ national or regional level.

The event brought together the experiences of the southern region of WestMED and formulated practical recommendations for a sustainable multi-use of the WestMED region at different scales (local, national and cross-border).

Two different sessions were organized to discuss MSP topics, the first session on: “MSP as a boost of the blue economy: a sub-regional approach” and the second session a “Roundtable – EU MSP Platform”, where National Hubs of WestMED Initiative and National Focal Points of MSPGlobal project, were invited into a roundtable to share their experiences and knowledge about the topic discussions, with intervention of the audience (SLIDO questions). Additionally, at the beginning of the second session, the WestMED Sea Basin expert of the EU MSP Platform presented the outcomes of the EU MSP Platform-MSP MED event that took place the previous day 10th of May.

At the end of the two sessions, the panelist communicated key messages for common actions in the region between the  IOC-UNESCO and WestMED Initiative.

During the event various ideas (recommendations) were discussed, mostly focusing on regional collaboration:

  • Assessing the status of MSP at local and national level, with the support of researchers and scientists, to check future trends including environmental, economic and social impacts;
  • Further funding to support data collection, as the basis for decision-making and preparation of national plans with the support of scientific community;
  • Encouraging research, innovation and training in the marine and maritime sector;
  • Flexible approaches to look at regional protocols and conventions to take advantage of already established agreements;
  • Ecosystem services as cumulative impacts indicators to track the general good state and consider the cumulative impacts as well on the cultural and socio-economic state;
  • Awareness and communication for the southern countries about how MSP is important for their national/local socio-economic growth
  • Integration and coordination of all levels of governance is essential for the management of the marine environment and marine activities and uses;
  • There is a broad consensus that existing and established regional platforms (existing international / regional conventions, SDGs) could be a good way to achieve this coordination.
  • The definition of national blue economy strategies is essential to know how to align the objectives of the MSP with the interests of blue growth;
  • The MSP can promote the blue economy by allocating space to specific strategic sectors, always considering environmental impacts;
  • Aligning the plans of the MSP with the general objectives and processes of environmental protection at national and international levels and with economic and social issues;
  • Promoting and implementing transdisciplinary approaches, merging knowledge on social, cultural and economic processes as well as on ecological, biological, geological and physical and cultural processes;
  • It’s important for the southern Med countries to first develop the planning of the marine space at national level, and once achieving this to proceed to regional level.

For more information, please contact thanos.smanis@westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu

cargo ship

WestMED Green Shipping Technical Group: first meeting among subgroups of stakeholders interested in priority actions

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The ultimate mission of the WestMED Assistance Mechanism (WMAM) is to provide support for the adoption and implementation of the Blue Economy agenda « Framework for Action ».

To reach the main goals established in the FfA, the WMAM has developed multiple actions and tools over time, including support to new project proposals or the promotion of partnerships and matchmaking or the creation of dedicated thematic Technical Groups, which are an effective and innovative instrument aimed at gathering the 5+5 Dialogue countries around common actions and jointly tackle global challenges.

Since year one, the Technical Group on Green Shipping, composed of institutional representatives from WestMED countries, has been able to define key priorities on the topic of Sustainable Maritime Transport and Alternative Fuels, and to involve stakeholders in operative sub-groups for the translation of such priorities in concrete actions and project proposals:

  • Feasibility Studies and Observatory on Technological Chains as a policy/decision making tool to boost investments in sustainable energy;
  • Energy Communities in Ports;
  • Commercial (and barge) Fleets Renewal and Adaption to ensure their compliance with the thresholds of emissions and with the challenge of environmental sustainability.

On May 26th, a dedicated networking session represented an opportunity for the transfer of the pro-active role of the WMAM to the direct leadership and co-working of the group toward the stakeholders involved.

Thanks to the efforts of the WM Natjonal Hubs, more than 30 organizations joined the event, where 20 were directly engaged in the sub-groups, and had access to a wide overview of the incoming funding calls of the new programming period.

With the support of the WMAM, the subgroups already framed the project ideas, kick-starting the exchange of strategic information and targeting the next date for meeting again: new partnerships are building up and getting ready for the launch of new calls!

 

digital booth of westmed initiative at the sea food trade show

WestMED at the ASSOITTICA Sea Food Trade Show 2021

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The first edition of the international digital fishery and aquaculture exhibition, organised by the Italian association ASSOITTICA, took place on 20-21 May.

With over 90 virtual exhibitors from South-Eastern Asia to Alaska, from Chile to Mauritania, as well as a high quality programme of seminars and workshops, the WestMED Initiative was invited to have an active presence.

Thanks to a strong support provided in these two years by the Italian NH, the WestMED Assistance Mechanism has joined the venue with :
– a dedicated stand to meet stakeholders, interested in its technical assistance and services;
– the first official webinar held by AquaWest, the newly created WestMED Technical Group on Sustainable Aquaculture, with a strong focus on the Southern shore countries of the Mediterranean.

With the participation of the FAO/GFCM representative for Aquaculture, stakeholders from Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania and Libya have had the possibility to present and debate on their national plans for the development of sustainable aquaculture, but also to access to Italian and French good practices towards the Green & Blue bio-economy.

The combination of increased production capacity (in response to internal and export demand) with the environmental, economic and financial sustainability, represents the main current challenge for these young and dynamic societies.

The WestMED stand was intensively visited during the two days by an international public of operators, confirming the importance of the sub-basin initiative of DG MARE and its impact on the Blue Growth ecosystem.