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Masauda Abuarosha presenting at a conference in Sousse (2025)

WestMED at the Sustainable Sousse Scientific Symposium in Libya

On 26 April 2025,  the Ministry of Technical and Technical Education / Higher Institute for Science and Technology in Sousse organised a symposium titled ‘Sustainable Sousse: An integrated vision
for the development of natural and human resources.’

The symposium brought together a group of researchers, specialists, and civil society representatives to discuss the challenges of sustainability and present practical solutions to ensure  development that takes into account the needs of the present without compromising the rights of future generations.

One of the keynote speakers was Dr Masauda Abuarosha, WestMED National Hub Libya and Faculty member at the Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics at the Omar Al Mukhtar University. She presented the WestMED Initiative with the title: ‘Sousse 2030 – Roadmap towards a Prosperous Blue Economy.’

Key recommendations of the Symposium
1. Strengthen co-operation between government and private entities to develop development strategies that take into account the environmental balance.
2. Adopt environmentally friendly smart projects in the fields of agriculture, afforestation, tourism, water management and hydroponics.
3. Empower local communities through awareness and training programmes to raise environmental awareness and improve the competencies of individuals.
4. Incorporate circular economy principles into local industries to reduce waste and utilise resources more efficiently.
5. Develop a sustainable infrastructure that contributes to reducing emissions and enhancing quality of life, and focusing on recycling waste to benefit from it and minimise its risks.

Agenda: available here

event announcement poster main image of people shaking hands

WestMED online roundtable: Unlocking Business Opportunities in Libya’s Blue Economy

This online roundtable, held online on 24 April 2025, focused on raising awareness and promoting investment opportunities in Libya’s Blue Economy sectors, with a focus on aquaculture, ecotourism, desalination, and renewable energy.

Key discussions highlighted the importance of private sector involvement, capacity building for local workers, and development of infrastructure such as ports and logistics services.

Successful regional examples, such as Tunisia’s support for youth and startups through economic accelerators, were shared, alongside innovative projects like marketing seafood and creating cosmetics from marine ingredients.

The event also emphasized the need for appropriate legislation, environmental sustainability, and the role of innovation and digitalization in fostering growth within the Blue Economy.

Key Discussion Points

  1. Raising Awareness: The event aimed to inform Libyan private stakeholders about viable sectors within the Blue Economy.
  2. Showcasing Success Stories: Regional and international case studies were highlighted to demonstrate successful initiatives in the Blue Economy.
  3. Funding and Technical Support: Discussions focused on available funding mechanisms and technical support for entrepreneurs in the Blue Economy sector.
  4. Fostering Connections: The roundtable provided a platform for stakeholders to connect, foster innovation, investment, and partnerships within the Blue Economy.

 Strategic Focus Areas

  • Private Sector Investment: Emphasis was placed on the importance of private sector involvement in sectors like aquaculture, ecotourism, desalination, and renewable energy.
  • Capacity Building: The need for training and qualification programs for local workers was highlighted to reduce dependence on foreign labor.
  • Infrastructure Development: Discussions included the development of ports and logistics services to support Blue Economy activities.
  • Environmental Sustainability: Addressing environmental pollution was recognized as a crucial component of future strategies.
  • Legislative Support: The importance of appropriate legislation and skills enhancement was discussed to support the new generation of entrepreneurs.

Regional Collaboration and Innovation

  • Tunisia’s Experience: Successful experiences from Tunisia were reviewed, focusing on supporting youth and startups through economic accelerators.
  • Innovation and Digitalization: Projects such as marketing traditional seafood products and developing cosmetics based on marine ingredients were discussed, emphasizing the role of innovation and digitalization.

International speakers included Amna Souhlobjy (Tunisian Maritime Cluster) and Leonardo Manzari (WestMED National Hub Italy)

Approximately 25 stakeholders joined this roundtable with a regular questions and answers amongst the participants.

 

Agenda: available here

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

 

Emna Sohlobji - MBA presenting during a an online roundtable on Blue Economy opportunities in Libya

meeting with two people sitting at desk in Libya

Meeting on Libya–WestMED Cooperation and Advancing the Blue Economy Transition

Tripoli, April 14, 2025 – The Libyan National Coordinator and member of the Steering Committee of the WestMED Initiative for Sustainable Development, Eng. Ali Shagrune, met today with Dr. Saber Al-Azzabi, Deputy Minister of Marine Wealth in Libya.

During the meeting, both parties discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between Libya and the WestMED Initiative, particularly in promoting the blue economy, sharing expertise, and coordinating efforts for sustainable maritime development. The discussion emphasized the importance of a strategic shift toward the blue economy as a pathway for Libya’s economic diversification, improved maritime governance, and attracting investment in fisheries and aquaculture sectors.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued engagement with the WestMED Steering Committee and to supporting national efforts toward achieving sustainable development goals in the maritime sector.

event announcement poster MedBan

WestMED Success Story. Maritime Clusters – meet MedBAN, the Mediterranean Blue Acceleration Network

A sustainable Blue Economy requires support to promote and uptake innovation, knowledge, skills as well as access to finance, which is effective and locally-grounded. This is possible through joint actions promoted by socio-economic and institutional actors at local, national and subregional level.

In this respect, maritime clusters (a network of companies, organizations, and institutions involved in the maritime industry) play a crucial role to support local stakeholders active in the Blue Economy.

They do so by supporting innovative products and services, internationalisation of micro, small and medium enterprises, dissemination of new knowledge and skills and ultimately integration of sectoral policies at local and national levels. Maritime Clusters have therefore been growingly acknowledged as essential booster for innovation and diversification of the Blue Economy.

According to a study of the Union for the Mediterranean in 2019, the large majority of Maritime Clusters across the Mediterranean is based in EU countries: Italy, Spain, France. The western Mediterranean seems to be more prone to the promotion of innovation in the Blue Economy through the set-up of clusters: in the EU (mostly regional-level clusters) but also in African countries (mostly national-level clusters).

On a European level, the European Nework of Maritime Clusters (ENMC), has been established in 2023 as a platform for exchanging information and networking between the maritime Cluster organizations of European member states.

piechart with maritime cluster distribution acroiss the MediterraneanSource: UfM Secretariat – Maritime Clusters in the Mediterranean Region (pdf)

WestMED Maritime Cluster alliance
Since its inception in 2021, the WestMED Initiative, through the WestMED Maritime Cluster Alliance, supports strong alliances between the most active Maritime Clusters in the Western Mediterranean and beyond . This has included the launch of a new Maritime Cluster in Mauritania and the recently launched Libyan Maritime Cluster.

The key objectives of the Alliance are:

  • Cluster dialogue: Support exchange of knowledge and practices across maritime and non-maritime clusters
  • South-South cooperation: Boost the development of southern maritime clusters
  • North-South capacity building: Upgrade cluster management skills
  • Provide a platform for private investments in innovative SMEs

The Maritime Cluster Alliance has succesfully supported several project proposals that strengthen maritime clusters in order to secure funding. Next to MedBAN (COSME Euroclusters), these include for example:  MARMED and MAQUAM (funded through ERASMUS+), ELBE Alliance (funded through IKAT), and  Women in Blue Economy – WINBIG, Maritime Clusters CALLMEBLUE, Green Marine MED, and POWER4MED (funded through EMFAF).


MedBAN
The European MedBAN project, short for Mediterranean Blue Acceleration Network, is an initiative to empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the blue economy.

It was co-funded by the European Union (Grant Agreement nº 101074763) through the Joint Cluster Initiatives (EUROCLUSTERS) for Europe’s recovery (SMP-COSME-2021-CLUSTER) under the Single Market Programme with a total budget of 1.4 Million euro.  The MedBAN project is therefore closely aligned with the Euroclusters’ specific objectives regarding networks, innovation, adoption of processes and technologies for the twin (digital & sustainable) transition, training for the up and re-skilling of the workforce and  internationalisation of European SMEs.

MedBAN was managed by a consortium of six maritime cluster organizations from five different Mediterranean countries: Portugal, Italy, France, Greece and Spain. Its common mission: to drive innovation, accelerate sustainability and internationalise blue SMEs, to support the transition towards a thriving, resilient and sustainable blue economy.

Stage 1: laying the foundation
The initiative consisted of two stages. First, the Mediterranean blue economy ecosystem was mapped to identify key players, challenges, and opportunities. This ensured that the actions by MedBAN would generate maximum impact on sustainable blue economy growth in the region. It resulted in identifying the five most critical sectors that MedBAN would focus on: aquaculture, fisheries, tourism, ports and renewable energies. SMEs in these sectors were specifically targeted in the 2nd phase of the project.

Next to this,the coherence between the challenges found in each of the  the abovementioned sectors and the national and regional policies of each partner country of the consortium (national Resilience Plans) was analysed to ensure alignment from that perspective as well.

This first stage also consisted of 2 short online training sessions  for the cluster staff members of the participating cluster organisations, with an emphasis on challenges and needs for succesful projects and sharing best practices – which proved not only useful in the context of this project but also for dealing with members of each individual cluster organisation beyond the scope of this project.

Stage 2:  support SMEs with technical assistance/ services
The second stage consisted of offering selected SMEs and startups a large set of services to boost their business, ranging from market research to international matchmaking.  These services were offered by a pool of (mostly)pre-selected third parties that were funded by MedBAN in line with the awarded budget.

SMEs could apply for these services by submitting a specific project proposal via  ‘cascade funding’ calls in two categories: 1) Innovation, training and twin transformation to allow for modernisation of the business processes and 2) ‘internationalisation’ to allow for growing their business across borders. Both the call texts and the subsequent selection of proposals was based on the findings generated during the first phase.

Results
57 proposals from 49 SMEs were awarded support, with eight SMEs being awarded support for 2 proposals (one in each category). This support totalled  little over 1 Million Euro and consisted of organisations from 8 countries – mainly situated around the Mediterranean.

Project leaders on stage to discuss results of the MedBAN support at the final MedBAN conference in 2025

During MedBAN’s final conference in March 2025, some of these selected SMEs shared the impact of this project on their respective businesses:

Hydrotwin : a start-up specialised in underwater noise monitoring received MedBAN support regarding market and market penetration analysis to better explain its potential to investors and decision makers. It led a.o. to the identification of marine offshore renewables as a priority market.

Seaentia : a sustainable aquaculture startup. MedBAN allowed them to develop their export strategy to export their fish to other EU countries, keeping in mind that the long term strategy is to produce locally. One of the elements they focused on was EU regulatory compliance regarding hygiene and food safety in the transport of  fresh fish

Cyclefi : an SME that develops software and hardware solutions to tackle, waste, energy and water challenges. MedBAN allowed them to expand the market from focusing primarly on municipalities to ports .  This involved a.o. a comprehensive mapping of waste management within EU ports and Greece in specific, including the definition of an international matchmaking plan.  They have now been able to start with Piraeus port, to tackle waste generated by its millions of (tourist) visitors.

Maritime world : a startup specialised in short conferences, workshops, B2B meetings and technical tours across Europe, dedicated to the maritime industry. MedBAN support allowed for significant (international) growth, especially by getting better connected to high quality organisations across the Mediterranean, including the North African countries. One of the actions was a thorough Market Analysis that provided a database with contacts of more than 130 organisations. Maritime World is now on the way to create one of the biggest maritime conferences in Malta by the end of the year.

PesCo : a start-up with an online platform focused on sustainable fishing tourism, matching local fishermen with tourists. Through the MedBAN support they managed boost their network with hotels, tour- and travel agencies. They also received support to develop toolkits for two key target groups: guides (captains) to help improve the sustainability viewpoint and clients (exploreres) to help prepare for the fishing experience.

The common denominator was that MedBAN allowed them to take steps that would’ve otherwise taken much longer to develop.

Watch the full panel discussion

representatives from the MedBan partners holding and rasing hands to celebrate their commitment to the MedBAN mission

Moving forward
The consortium partners committed themselves to further build on MedBAN’s success. This was underlined  by signing the MedBAN Statutes (charter of principles); in which partners pledge to explore new opportunities of collaboration, foster stronger collaboration among clusters, commit to ongoing exploration of funding opportunities, and ensure long-term sustainability.

It was also underlined by signing a Memorandum Of Understanding for with CALLMEBLUE (Cluster Alliance Med Blue) to strengthen strategic collaboration.

Memorandum of Understanding between MedBAN and CallmeBlue signed at the MedBAN final Conference in 2025 with representivaes showing the signed document

 

WestMED connection
The initial idea for MedBAN was born in September 2021 at Seafuture in La Spezia and evolved through WestMED’s Maritime Clusters Alliance Technical Group into a successful submission for COSME funding. Next to this, Stephanie Vella (WestMED National Hub Malta) was an official ‘MedBAN ambassador’ and Lorella Ciutti (WestMED National Hub Portugal), MedBAN’s project coordinator. MedBAN has, in this respect, been supported  by the WestMED Assistance Mechanism from start to finish.

At the end of the MedBAN conference, project leader Ruben Eiras summed it all up: “Here we are, celebrating Europe. When we look at the numbers, of course, [the project] is just a drop in the ocean—but it is an important drop. Today, the Blue Economy represents innovation, defence, and sustainability—connecting, aggregating, and linking. What we aim for in a few year’s time, when we have MedBAN 2.0, is that we have investment funds and private actors with more capital to invest in these SMEs to make them grow. Let’s triple these numbers and make the Blue Economy happen!”

 

More info about MedBAN
Budget Total:  € 1.399.384,00

EU Contribution: €1.364.446,00

Partners/ Countries Coordinator/ lead:  Forum Oceano (Portugal)

Federazione del Mare (Italy)

Cluster BIG – Blue Italian Growth (Italy)

CMIB Cluster Marítimo Illes Balears (Spain)

Strategis – Maritime ICT Cluster (Greece)

Pôle Mer Méditerranée (France)

Affiliated: Magellan (Portugal)

Follow Website
Duration 1 September 2022 – 31 March 2025

 

 

Libya Hosts the Mediterranean International Conference on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity

Tripoli, April 12, 2025 – Today, WestMED’s Libyan National Coordinator and member of the WestMED Initiative Steering Committee, Eng. Ali Shagrune participated alongside Dr. Saber Al-Azzabi, Deputy Minister of Marine Wealth, in the Mediterranean International Conference on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity, held in Tripoli, Libya.

During the conference, the Libyan delegation delivered an intervention highlighting the importance of preserving biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as Libya’s role in marine environmental protection and expanding marine protected areas. The presentation also addressed current environmental challenges to marine biodiversity in the region and stressed the importance of regional cooperation within the WestMED framework to achieve shared sustainability goals.

The intervention reaffirmed Libya’s commitment to supporting international and regional efforts to strengthen marine environmental governance and integrate biodiversity into blue economy policies.

For more information, visit the event webpage or the facebook page

 

2 people standing in front of a conference banner

Ufm Mediterranean pavillion stand with people passing by at an exhibition

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

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)

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.

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

 

 

 

WestMED event Libya: Investing in the Sustainable Blue Economy

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)

 

Confrence hall filled with participants for the WestMED event in Libya on Blue Economy investments - February 2025

slider poster with vector of project people holding puzzle pieces

Regular updates on WestMED (Technical) thematic stakeholder group activities

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

Ali Shagrune meeting the miister of Tourism and traditional industries Nasreddine Milad Al-Fazzani, January 22, 2025

The libyan Minister of Tourism and Traditional Industries Meets with the Head of the Libyan Maritime Cluster/ WestMED’s national coordinator to Promote the Blue Economy

The Minister of Tourism and Traditional Industries, Nasreddine Milad Al-Fazzani, held a meeting today, Wednesday, January 22, 2025, with the Head of the Libyan Maritime Cluster and WestMED’s National Coordinator, Eng. Ali Shagrune, to discuss enhancing the direction toward the blue economy. The meeting was attended by the Minister’s Advisor, Eng. Khaled Mohamed, and the Director of the Industries Department, Najib Al-Habshi.

During the meeting, discussions focused on intensifying efforts to promote the blue economy, considering the Ministry of Tourism and Traditional Industries as one of the key sectors in this field. The Minister emphasized that tourism is one of the primary sources for supporting the national economy and transitioning from a rent-based economy to a diversified economy that contributes to sustainable development for current and future generations. His Excellency stressed the importance of supporting blue economy-related projects, describing them as the optimal pathway for economic development in Libya, following the example of other nations. The meeting also  addressed the mechanism for establishing the Maghreb Maritime Cluster , encompassing all Maghreb countries, to facilitate the exchange of expertise among these nations.

Eng. Ali Shagrune highlighted the significance of establishing the Libyan Maritime Cluster as a platform aimed at developing the economy and encouraging investment in various tourism sectors, such as coastal tourism, marine excursions, and the construction and development of recreational ports. He also emphasized the importance of training and development to create a skilled workforce in the tourism field. The Libyan Maritime Cluster is expected to serve as a central platform for coordinating policies, attracting investment, and supporting sustainable growth in the blue economy, ultimately positioning Libya as a leading tourism hub in the Mediterranean region.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Minister expressed his gratitude to the Head of the Maritime Cluster for his dedication and interest in the Libyan Maritime Cluster platform and the blue economy project. He reaffirmed his unlimited support for the success of such programs and meetings aimed at advancing the blue economy in Libya and fostering a diversified and sustainable economy.

 

Text/ photo: based on facebook post: Ministry of Tourism and Traditional Industries – Libya