WestMED Technical Group on Blue Skills Holds Successful Kick‑Off Meeting

The WestMED Assistance Mechanism, together with the coordinators of the new Technical Group on Blue Skills, launched the group’s activities with an online meeting on 27 April 2026 – bringing together experts, training bodies and blue‑economy actors from across the Western Mediterranean.

Chaired by the Tunisian and Portuguese national coordinators, participants were warmly welcomed and thanked for their commitment to this new platform, which aims to strengthen cooperation on skills development in support of a resilient and future‑ready blue economy.

During the meeting, country‑appointed practical and policy experts introduced themselves, outlined their areas of expertise, and began mapping key skills gaps and emerging needs across blue‑economy sectors. These first insights will feed directly into the development of the group’s 2026 roadmap. This roadmap will outline priority areas for cooperation, capacity‑building actions, and opportunities for joint initiatives.

The kick‑off marks a strong start for this new Technical Group, setting the foundation for structured collaboration and targeted actions to advance Blue Skills across the WestMED countries and beyond.