The “Blue Africa Summit” in Tangier: Towards a Pact for Africa’s Blue Future
Under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the 3rd edition of the Blue Africa Summit was held on 9 and 10 October in Tangier. This major event, organised by the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco and La Saison Bleue, brought together African decision-makers, scientific experts, and economic stakeholders. The primary objective was to lay the groundwork for a Pact for a Sustainable Blue Africa, thereby placing the ocean at the heart of the continent’s future.
A First Day Focused on a Shared Vision
The first day of the summit was dedicated to the development of this pact. The discussions were structured around three key themes: strengthening international cooperation, addressing the major challenges of coastal cities and regions, and preserving marine ecosystems to ensure food security.
The opening was marked by several official speeches, notably those of Mr Abdeljalil Lahjomri, Permanent Secretary of the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco, and Ms Zakia Driouch, Secretary of State for Maritime Fisheries. Also in attendance were Mr Peter Thomson, UN Special Envoy for the Ocean, Ms Rym Benzina, President of La Saison Bleue, and Mr Pascal Lamy, President of the Global Sea Forum-Bizerte.
All speakers emphasised the importance of ocean governance. Mr Lahjomri notably proposed the creation of an African Observatory for Maritime Governance, linked to an open digital platform, Blue Data Africa. This platform would connect ports, universities, institutions, and NGOs for data sharing.
Watch the recording of the first day on YouTube
The Second Day: Expert Groups and Concrete Proposals
The second day featured four expert groups, held in a hybrid format and bringing together representatives from numerous African countries. The groups focused on Science, Research & Education, the Blue Economy & Finance, Governance & Territories, and Civil Society.
WestMED participation
Mr Hassan Agouzoul, Morocco’s National Hub for the WestMED assistance mechanism, actively participated in the “Blue Economy & Finance” and “Governance & Territories” expert groups. He presented a roadmap to structure blue financing in Africa. His proposal emphasises building capacity to design “blue” projects and aligning multi-year budgets with inter-sectoral development programmes. For the governance of the future pact, he suggested drawing inspiration from the WestMED governance model, an EU and UpM initiative that combines institutional support from governments with technical expertise to 5 countries on the southern shore of the Mediterranean.
Summit Conclusion and Future Outlook
All these exchanges will serve as a basis for the work that will continue until the Pact for a Sustainable Blue Africa is submitted during the 4th edition of the Summit, scheduled for late 2026.
The summit concluded with a panel discussion on the African Atlantic coastline, titled “What new-generation public-private alliance for a responsible exploitation of resources?”. This panel focused on the sustainable management of fishery resources and notably featured the participation of Yassine El Aroussi, national coordinator of the WestMED initiative and Head of the Cooperation Division within Morocco’s Department of Maritime Fisheries.
Read the Tangier declaration – Blue Africa Summit 2025
For more information contact Hassan Agouzoul (westMED National Hub Morocco): morocco@westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu
Additional articles
https://www.info-rac.org/communication/news/towards-a-pact-for-a-sustainable-blue-africa/
Tanger : le Blue Africa Summit acte des engagements historiques
https://www.laverite.ma/urgence-oceans-le-sommet-de-tanger-fixe-la-feuille-de-route-2030/
