On January 31, 2023, Morocco hosted in Agadir the second session of the High-Level Conference "for a scientific, economic and environmental integration in favor of the blue economy" in which participated the Blue Economy Project Management Unit of the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
The second edition of the High-Level Conference of the Blue Belt Initiative (BBI) was held Tuesday in Agadir, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mohammed Sadiki.
Organized on the sidelines of the International Exhibition Halieutis, this meeting brought together more than 270 participants, representing 32 countries including 24 delegations led by ministers from Africa, Europe and the Middle East and international organizations.
The Blue Belt initiative constitutes a "collaborative platform": an important African instrument to support national, regional and continental blue and marine strategies, while fostering South-South cooperation and partnerships and mobilizing all essential actors and resources (research, innovation, expertise, public institutions, financial institutions and implementing agencies) for the success of the African blue transformation.
Since its creation during the COP22, this initiative, which aims to strengthen the capacities of participating countries for a sustainable management of their fisheries and aquaculture resources, has been encouraged and supported by many countries and organizations to promote cooperation, sharing and exchange of experiences between countries.
This year's Conference provided an opportunity to review the progress made since the first Conference in 2019, including cooperation agreements and projects implemented in member countries.
The draft Agadir Declaration recalls the urgent need to encourage scientific research, expertise, innovation, ocean observing systems, multi-stakeholder partnerships and synergies to implement an integrated and ecosystem approach to all sectors of the blue economy, based on science.
