Workshop and major report on Aligning Aquaculture and Fisheries for Sustainable Investment in Libya

Tunis, June 18 – 21, 2025

Under the supervision of the Libyan Maritime Cluster and organized by the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), a National Consultative Workshop was held in Tunis from 18 to 21 June 2025. The workshop was titled:

“National Consultative Workshop for Validation of the Consultancy for Alignment of National Fisheries and Aquaculture Strategies and the National Agricultural Investment Plans to the Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa (PFRS) and Climate-Change Adaptation, Including Formulation of Recommendations for Domestication of Relevant Global Instruments for the State of Libya.”

This important event aimed to support Libya’s efforts in developing sustainable policies and strategies for fisheries and aquaculture. The focus was on aligning national frameworks with the Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa (PFRS) to promote the responsible use of marine and aquatic resources, strengthen climate change adaptation, and attract sustainable, long-term investments.

Over four days, participants discussed and validated a comprehensive national report prepared by Dr. Masauda Abuarosha, from the Omar al-Mokhtar University and Libya’s National Hub for WestMED. The report consisted of three key components:

• Presentation of the main results of the consultation report on aligning national fisheries and aquaculture policies with the PFRS. (Download the pdf)
• Presentation of the consultancy report providing specific recommendations for the domestication of global instruments. (Download the pdf)
• Presentation of the consultation report results on aligning national agricultural investment plans with the PFRS and climate change adaptation measures. (Download the pdf)

The workshop was honored by the participation of Eng. Ali Al-Shagruni, President of the Libyan Maritime Cluster and Libya’s National Coordinator for WestMED, alongside Dr. Masauda Abuarosha.

Key Libyan officials, including representatives from the Ministry of Marine Wealth, the National Project of Aquaculture, the Higher Institute of Marine Science, as well as national and international experts, NGO representatives, and regional organizations, contributed to the discussions. They addressed the major challenges facing Libya’s fisheries and aquaculture sector and explored opportunities to enhance governance, policy coherence, and investment readiness.

The workshop provided a strategic platform for sharing expertise, strengthening collaboration, and formulating actionable recommendations to advance Libya’s blue economy in alignment with regional, continental, and global frameworks.

Report
The report, central to this event, provides a comprehensive assessment of Libya’s national fisheries and aquaculture policy and its alignment with the African Union’s Policy Framework and Reform Strategy (PFRS) for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa. Despite Libya’s significant marine resources and extensive Mediterranean coastline, the sector remains underdeveloped. It  identifies major policy gaps, institutional weaknesses, and underutilized opportunities hindering progress.

The analysis examines Libya’s legal, institutional, and policy frameworks against the eight core policy areas outlined in the PFRS. It also evaluates the extent to which national strategies align
with regional and international commitments. Insights were informed by stakeholder consultations, including surveys and interviews with representatives from government, academia,
and the private sector.

Download the fully validated and approved report (pdf)

For more information
Contact the WestMED National Hub Libya (Masauda Abuarosha): libya@westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu