BLUE AFRICA

SUMMIT

Days

Hours

Minutes

Seconds

October 9th and 10th, 2025

About the event

The Pact for a Sustainable Blue Africa places the ocean at the heart of Africa’s future. Born out of the Blue Africa Summit, it brings together experts, policymakers, and civil society to shape an ambitious and sustainable maritime strategy. Its mission is to transform Africa’s marine resources into drivers of development, innovation, and resilience for coastal communities and the continent as a whole. This vision will be at the core of the third edition of the Blue Africa Summit in Tangier, on October 9–10, 2025.

LOCATION

Idou Malabata Hotel, Tangier, Morocco

Date

October 9th and 10th, 2025.

vision

Our vision

Fully connect Africa to other continents through its ports, straits and maritime channels, thereby representing a dynamic network linking the Indian Ocean, Mozambique Channel, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean.

This vision maintains that African growth, including that of landlocked countries, largely depends on international trade, more than 90% of which is carried out by sea. other partners involved in promoting responsible ocean management.

Sessions

Scheduled

09/10/2025
10/10/2025

13h30 - 13h45
Welcome
13h45 - 15h00
Opening of the Blue Africa Summit, in the presence of the organizers, senior Moroccan authorities, and representatives of national and international governance
13h45 - 14h05
Welcoming speech
By Rym Benzina President of La Saison Bleue Pascal Lamy President of the World Sea Forum – Bizerte, Coordinator of the Jacques Delors Institutes Abdeljalil Lahjomri Perpetual Secretary, Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco
14h05 - 14h30
Addresses
By Zakia Driouch Secretary of State to the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water and Forests, in charge of Maritime Fisheries Peter Thomson UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean Arvin Boolell * Minister of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries, Mauritius Arlette Soudan-Nonault * Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development and the Congo Basin, and Executive Secretary of the Congo Basin Climate Commission Ahmed Shiyam Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources, Maldives
14h35 - 14h55
Afrique-Europe
By Raphael Danglade Lead Portfolio Manager, Climate and Development, Africa-Europe Foundation Marieme Bekaye Independent Expert in Environment and Sustainable Development et Member of the Royal Academy of Morocco, Mauritania Nancy Karigithu * Co-President of the Ocean Group of the Europe Africa Foundation, Ambassador/ Special Envoy for the Maritime and Blue Economy, Government of Kenya Geneviève Pons Member of the Africa-Europe Strategy Group on Ocean Governance and Director General and Vice President of Europe Jacques Delors
14h55 - 15h00
Advancing Africa-Europe Ocean Cooperation: On the #RoadtoLuanda25 (7th AU-EU Heads of State Summit)
By Raphael Danglade Lead Portfolio Manager, Climate and Development, Africa-Europe Foundation
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
From Abu Dhabi to Tangier : connecting regions around one Ocean
15h00 - 15h10
Highlights from the MENA Ocean Summit and the launch of the Blue Africa Summit (Transcontinental solidarity, regional priorities highlighted during UNOC3)
By Rym Benzina President of La Saison Bleue Tatiana Antonelli Abella * Founder & CEO, Goumbook, UAE
15h10 - 15h20
Preview of the launch of the IUCN World Conservation Congress,
By Cynthia Barzuna * Global Deputy Director of the Ocean Program, World Resources Institute (WRI), and Director, Ocean Action 2030 Coalition Patricia Ricard * President of the Paul Ricard Oceanographic Institute
15h20 - 15h30
Concrete implementation of the Neptune Mission serving the MENA and African regions (deep-sea science, BBNJ governance, education of younger generations)
By Ashok Adicéam * Secretary-General, Neptune Mission
15h30 - 17h40
Ambitions and propositions : a Sustainable Blue African Pact
15h30 - 15h50
Keynote Speakers: Building a Common Vision for a Sustainable Blue Africa
By Jeanine M. Cooper * Presidential Special envoy on climate change and carbon trade, Liberia Miaretsoa Longondraza * Regional Director of Fisheries and Blue Economy, Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy, Madagascar Claire Jolly Head of Ocean Economy and Space Economy (IPSO Unit), Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation, OECD, France
15h50 - 16h20
Roundtable 1 : Strengthening International Cooperation
By H.E Ambassador Olivier Poivre d’Arvor Special Envoy of the President of the French Republic for the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference Pierre Bahurel CEO of Mercator Ocean International Cécile Couprie Regional Director for North Africa, AFD Carole Martinez International Policy Expert, Marine and Islands Biodiversity, Green & Blue Fund Management, MedPAN Alessandra Sensi Head of the UFM Sector for Water, Environment and Blue Economy Valérie Verdier Chairwoman and CEO, French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) Robin Degron Director, Plan Bleu
16h20 - 16h50
Roundtable 2 : Addressing the Major Challenges of Coastal Cities and Regions: The Ocean Rise & Coastal Resilience Coalition
By H.E Ambassador Olivier Poivre d’Arvor Special Envoy of the President of the French Republic for the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference Jean Louis Coffi Moulot Moïse * Mayor of Grand-Bassam and Vice-President of the Coalition Manuel de Araujo Mayor of Quelimane City, Mozambique Kahime Kholoud President of the International Center for Research and Capacity Building (CI2RC); Higher School of Technology Essaouira and Coordinator of the "Essaouira Ocean Blue City" project Joseph Magloire Olinga Deputy Director, Department of Environment, Health and Living Environment, Urban Community of Douala, Cameroon Pierre d’Alcantara Zocli Advisor to the Mayor of Cotonou, Benin Fernando Pinto President of the Municipal Council of Alcochete, Cape Verde Omar Mohamed Mayor of Moroni, Comores
16h50 - 17h20
Roundtable 3 : Preserving Marine Ecosystems for Sufficient Food Resources
By Rym Benzina President of La Saison Bleue Fedra Francocci Researcher at the National Research Council (CNR), Institute for the Study of Anthropogenic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment, Italia Miguel Bernal * Executive Secretary of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the FAO Paul de Bruyn * Executive Secretary, Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), FAO Abdelaziz SIBAOUAIH Regional Director for the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region Driss Tazi Advisor at COMHAFAT Azza Jiddou Ministry of Fisheries, Maritime and Port Infrastructure, Mauritania John Nyemah Natt Jr * Lead for Blue Economy and continental and regional expert, Liberia
17h20 - 17h30
Roundtable 4 : Presentation of the Starfish Barometer
By Rym Benzina President of La Saison Bleue Pierre Bahurel CEO of Mercator Ocean International Fedra Francocci Researcher at the National Research Council (CNR), Institute for the Study of Anthropogenic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment, Italia Marina Levy Research Director, National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)
17h30 - 17h40
Youth Message to Public Decision-Makers
By Rym Benzina President of La Saison Bleue Fedra Francocci Researcher at the National Research Council (CNR), Institute for the Study of Anthropogenic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment, Italia Ayivi Ernest Tindo President of the Executive Board of the Pan-African Organization of Youth for the Blue Economy and Commissioner General of the African Youth Forum on the Blue Economy
17h40 - 18h10
The Trophées de l’innovation by IRD – Pitch Session
By Salma Kabbaj Co-founder of IMPACT LAB, Morocco Arame DIEYE Designing an EWS for Coastal Flood Risks to Enhance Sustainable Rice Production in Guinea-Bissau Tobias Fischer From Imagery to Action: Scalable shoreline monitoring for Pacific atolls Nicolas GARCIA-SEYDA SWIM2CORAL, A nature-based solution to protect corals Badara Sane Development of Extreme Marine Current Forecasts for Senegal’s Small Coast Fanny Rioual Hydrogen Sulfide Dynamics and Physiological Impact on Peruvian Scallops in a Hypoxic Coastal Bay Huyen Thanh Tran O3-Observation.Optimization.for.Oceans: Monitoring sub-mesoscale coastal dynamics using high-frequency radars
18h10 - 18h20
Announcement of the 4 colleges of work
18h20 - 18h40
Group picture
20h00 - 21h00
Gala Dinner - Trophées de l’innovation – Laureates Annoucement

Following a closed Q&A session between the nominees and the jury, and subsequent deliberations, the two award winners will be announced during the Gala Dinner.

8:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Welcome
09h00 - 09h15
Plenary Presentation of the Colleges

09h15 - 11h00

Colleges of Experts in Science, Education, and the Blue Economy & Finance (Click to discover the speakers)

The roundtables are held in a hybrid format, allowing both in-person and online participation.

Parallel sessions work
College science & education Koffigan Agbati CEO of TMSU International, Togo Driss Tazi Advisor at COMHAFAT Fedra Francocci Researcher at the National Research Council (CNR), Institute for the Study of Anthropogenic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment, Italia Mohamed Najih Director of the National Institute of Fisheries Research, Morocco Bouchta El Moumni President, Researcher and Lecturer, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Morocco Marine Herrmann Oeanographer, Research Director, Scientific Advisor for Coasts and Ocean IRD, France Gil Mahé Research Director at IRD, specialist in the major rivers of Africa, and co-coordinator of the OMELI observatory in Tunisia Suchana Apple Chavanich Professor of Marine Sciences, Chulalongkorn University – Thailand Marina Levy Research Director, National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), France Valérie Verdier Chairwoman and CEO, French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) Hamid Halim President of the Maroc Bleu Foundation Pr Kahime Kholoud President of the International Center for Research and Capacity Building (CI2RC); Higher School of Technology Essaouira and Coordinator of the "Essaouira Ocean Blue City" project Naima Hamoumi Coordinator of the Moroccan Network for Marine Sciences and Engineering, and retired university professor specializing in marine geosciences Laré Penn Senior Lecturer, University of Lomé Alassane Sarr * Director of the University Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, Senegal Tamaryn Morris * Director of Artisanal Fisheries and Marine Aquaculture, Mauritania Lilian Diarra * Project Manager - Ocean Prediction Enhancement in Regions of Africa (OPERA) · Mercator Ocean International Coordinated by: Amel Hamza-Chaffai Member of the Tunisian Academy of Sciences – Beit al Hikma & Chair of the IOC-UNESCO Africa Task Force. & Marine Herrmann Oeanographer, Research Director, Scientific Advisor for Coasts and Ocean IRD, France	College economy & blue finance Claire Jolly Head of Ocean Economy and Space Economy (IPSO Unit), Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation, OECD, France Faustine Sinzogan Focal Point for the Abidjan Convention and Marine Ecosystem Protection Division, Benin Martin Ndende Professor, Legal Advisor and International Expert on Maritime Affairs, Cameroon Timothée Ourbak – Responsable du Pôle Ressources Naturelles, AFD Willy Mbusisi Heukoua Environmental Specialist and Deputy Director of Studies and Environmental Protection, Urban Community of Douala, Cameroon Joseph Magloire Olinga Deputy Director, Department of Environment, Health and Living Environment, Urban Community of Douala, Cameroon Hamadi Baba Hamadi FNP President, Mauritania Éric Lafontaine Director, Guyane Développement Innovation – France/Guyana Aly Aoubeck Director of Artisanal Fisheries and Marine Aquaculture, Mauritania Raphael Danglade Lead Portfolio Manager, Climate and Development, Africa-Europe Foundation Jean-Renaud Bikoe Foreign Affairs Advisor, serving at the United Nations Directorate, Ministry of External Relations, Cameroon Hassan Agouzoul Director SDG Action Strategy Center Akouri Fadl Coordination and Communication Officer Benabbou Abdelouahed Consultant Expert to COMAIP Naitlho Al Mahdi Representative of SJOVIK MOROCCO, Member of COMAIP Moukhlis Farah Executive Assistant of COMAIP Demetrio Bocuma Mene * Programme Analyst UNDP Ibrahim Ali Mohamed * President of the Network of Young Entrepreneurs and Blue Economy Expert, Comores Nicole du Plessis * Marine Projects Science Officer, Ocean20, South Africa David Vivas Eugui * Chief a.i. Ocean & Circular Economy Unit, Trade, Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Branch, Division on International Trade and Commodities, UNCTAD Ludovic Arnaud * Junior Professional Programme Officer at UNCTAD Sekula Robson * CEO, SEG Group, Liberia Henry-Serge KEMGANG * Veterinary Economist, Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries (MINEPIA) / Yaoundé, Cameroon Coordinated by: Claire Jolly & Martin Ndende

Parallel sessions work

College science & education

Koffigan Agbati CEO of TMSU International, Togo
Driss Tazi Advisor at COMHAFAT
Fedra Francocci Researcher at the National Research Council (CNR), Institute for the Study of Anthropogenic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment, Italia
Mohamed Najih Director of the National Institute of Fisheries Research, Morocco
Bouchta El Moumni President, Researcher and Lecturer, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Morocco
Marine Herrmann Oeanographer, Research Director, Scientific Advisor for Coasts and Ocean IRD, France
Gil Mahé Research Director at IRD, specialist in the major rivers of Africa, and co-coordinator of the OMELI observatory in Tunisia
Suchana Apple Chavanich Professor of Marine Sciences, Chulalongkorn University – Thailand
Marina Levy Research Director, National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), France
Valérie Verdier Chairwoman and CEO, French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD)
Hamid Halim President of the Maroc Bleu Foundation
Pr Kahime Kholoud President of the International Center for Research and Capacity Building (CI2RC); Higher School of Technology Essaouira and Coordinator of the "Essaouira Ocean Blue City" project
Naima Hamoumi Coordinator of the Moroccan Network for Marine Sciences and Engineering, and retired university professor specializing in marine geosciences
Laré Penn Senior Lecturer, University of Lomé
Alassane Sarr * Director of the University Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, Senegal
Tamaryn Morris * Director of Artisanal Fisheries and Marine Aquaculture, Mauritania
Lilian Diarra * Project Manager - Ocean Prediction Enhancement in Regions of Africa (OPERA) · Mercator Ocean International

Coordinated by: Amel Hamza-Chaffai Member of the Tunisian Academy of Sciences – Beit al Hikma & Chair of the IOC-UNESCO Africa Task Force. & Marine Herrmann Oeanographer, Research Director, Scientific Advisor for Coasts and Ocean IRD, France

College economy & blue finance

Claire Jolly Head of Ocean Economy and Space Economy (IPSO Unit), Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation, OECD, France
Faustine Sinzogan Focal Point for the Abidjan Convention and Marine Ecosystem Protection Division, Benin
Martin Ndende Professor, Legal Advisor and International Expert on Maritime Affairs, Cameroon
Timothée Ourbak – Responsable du Pôle Ressources Naturelles, AFD
Willy Mbusisi Heukoua Environmental Specialist and Deputy Director of Studies and Environmental Protection, Urban Community of Douala, Cameroon
Joseph Magloire Olinga Deputy Director, Department of Environment, Health and Living Environment, Urban Community of Douala, Cameroon
Hamadi Baba Hamadi FNP President, Mauritania
Éric Lafontaine Director, Guyane Développement Innovation – France/Guyana
Aly Aoubeck Director of Artisanal Fisheries and Marine Aquaculture, Mauritania
Raphael Danglade Lead Portfolio Manager, Climate and Development, Africa-Europe Foundation
Jean-Renaud Bikoe Foreign Affairs Advisor, serving at the United Nations Directorate, Ministry of External Relations, Cameroon
Hassan Agouzoul Director SDG Action Strategy Center
Akouri Fadl Coordination and Communication Officer
Benabbou Abdelouahed Consultant Expert to COMAIP
Naitlho Al Mahdi Representative of SJOVIK MOROCCO, Member of COMAIP
Moukhlis Farah Executive Assistant of COMAIP
Demetrio Bocuma Mene * Programme Analyst UNDP
Ibrahim Ali Mohamed * President of the Network of Young Entrepreneurs and Blue Economy Expert, Comores
Nicole du Plessis * Marine Projects Science Officer, Ocean20, South Africa
David Vivas Eugui * Chief a.i. Ocean & Circular Economy Unit, Trade, Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Branch, Division on International Trade and Commodities, UNCTAD
Ludovic Arnaud * Junior Professional Programme Officer at UNCTAD
Sekula Robson * CEO, SEG Group, Liberia
Henry-Serge KEMGANG * Veterinary Economist, Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries (MINEPIA) / Yaoundé, Cameroon

Coordinated by: Claire Jolly & Martin Ndende

11h00 - 11h20
Coffee break

11h20 - 12h50

Colleges of Experts in Governance & Territories and Civil Society (Click to discover the speakers)

The roundtables are held in a hybrid format, allowing both in-person and online participation.

Parallel sessions work
Collèges governance & territories Azza Jiddou Ministry of Fisheries, Maritime and Port Infrastructure, Mauritania Edoh Komla President, Regional Maritime Council, Togo Alexis Aquereburu Mayor, Communes of the Lakes (Aného), Togo Marieme Bekaye Independent Expert in Environment and Sustainable Development and member of the Royal Moroccan Academy, Mauritania Robin Degron Director, Plan Bleu Alessandra Sensi Head, Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Samuel Megwa Strategic Director, YARIS, EU Gulf of Guinea Interregional Network (EU-GoGIN) Willy Mbusisi Heukoua Environmental Specialist and Deputy Director of Studies and Environmental Protection, Urban Community of Douala, Cameroon Joseph Magloire Olinga Deputy Director, Department of Environment, Health and Living Environment, Urban Community of Douala, Cameroon Carole Martinez International Policy Expert, Specialist in Marine and Island Biodiversity; Manager of the Blue & Green Fund, MedPAN Walaa Gad El Karim Mahmoud Othman Director of the central unit of the decent life initiative Omar Mohamed – Mayor of Moroni, Comores Mamadou Sidibé * Advisor, Ministry of Environment and Ecological Transition, Senegal Jean-François Curtis * Deputy Mayor of Grand-Bassam, Côte d’Ivoire Jean Baptiste Harelimana * President, African Academy of International Law practice André-Julien Koutou * Director of the House of Entrepreneurship and Youth Integration, Projects, Mayor of Grand-Bassam, Côte d’Ivoire David Willima * Africa Regional Coordinator Deep Sea Conservation Coalition Coordinated by: Robin Degron Director, Plan Bleu Samuel Megwa Strategic Director, YARIS, EU Gulf of Guinea Interregional Network (EU-GoGIN)	College civil society Ayivi Ernest Tindo Founder and President of the Pan-African Youth Organization for the Blue Economy, Benin Cécile Mawe Moumbre Founder, Youth in Action for Sustainable Development, Cameroon Laurent Ahongbonon President and scientific director, Nature Plurielle, Bénin Jade Velonjara Advocacy Officer, Natiora Defenders, Madagascar Caroline Mawandji Masala National President, Wimafrica DRC, Democratic Republic of the Congo Kaoutar Merbouh Secretary General, WIMA Morocco Louise Soppi Ndock Expert in Social and Solidarity Economy Eliott Barichasse Ndock Secretary-General, NGO Wandzani Wazi Mbwedza “Friends of the Octopus,” Comoros Aristide TAKOUKAM KAMLA * President Founder, AMMCO Maximin Djondo * Executive Director, Benin Environment and Education Society (BEES NGO) Mohamed KOÏTA * Climate Lead, RIM Youth Climate Movement – Mauritania Florentine Guihard-Koidio * Chair of the Strategic Monitoring Committee, Network of Women Maritime and Port Professionals of West and Central Africa, Côte d’Ivoire Lionel Ondoa * CEO and Founder, YLO Médias Group, Mboko Magazine Sylvie Laure SIBE * Continental President of WIMAFRICA Mariette Degan * Programme Officer, National Association of Women Processors and Fishmongers of Benin Jean-Paul Wong Mpondo * National Coordinator, Cameroonian Network for the Development of Island Communities and Indigenous Peoples (RECADELI) Dorine Nininahazwe * – Greenpeace Africa Mouchtadi Badi Bamdou * Marine and coastal environment officer, MOHELI NATIONAL PARK, Comores Coordinated by: Rym Benzina President of La Saison Bleue & Asmaa Benslimane First Vice-President and Secretary General of WIMAFRICA

Parallel sessions work

Collèges governance & territories

Azza Jiddou Ministry of Fisheries, Maritime and Port Infrastructure, Mauritania
Edoh Komla President, Regional Maritime Council, Togo
Alexis Aquereburu Mayor, Communes of the Lakes (Aného), Togo
Marieme Bekaye Independent Expert in Environment and Sustainable Development and member of the Royal Moroccan Academy, Mauritania
Robin Degron Director, Plan Bleu
Alessandra Sensi Head, Union for the Mediterranean (UfM)
Samuel Megwa Strategic Director, YARIS, EU Gulf of Guinea Interregional Network (EU-GoGIN)
Willy Mbusisi Heukoua Environmental Specialist and Deputy Director of Studies and Environmental Protection, Urban Community of Douala, Cameroon
Joseph Magloire Olinga Deputy Director, Department of Environment, Health and Living Environment, Urban Community of Douala, Cameroon
Carole Martinez International Policy Expert, Specialist in Marine and Island Biodiversity; Manager of the Blue & Green Fund, MedPAN
Walaa Gad El Karim Mahmoud Othman Director of the central unit of the decent life initiative
Omar Mohamed – Mayor of Moroni, Comores
Mamadou Sidibé * Advisor, Ministry of Environment and Ecological Transition, Senegal
Jean-François Curtis * Deputy Mayor of Grand-Bassam, Côte d’Ivoire
Jean Baptiste Harelimana * President, African Academy of International Law practice
André-Julien Koutou * Director of the House of Entrepreneurship and Youth Integration, Projects, Mayor of Grand-Bassam, Côte d’Ivoire
David Willima * Africa Regional Coordinator Deep Sea Conservation Coalition

Coordinated by: Robin Degron Director, Plan Bleu Samuel Megwa Strategic Director, YARIS, EU Gulf of Guinea Interregional Network (EU-GoGIN)

College civil society

Ayivi Ernest Tindo Founder and President of the Pan-African Youth Organization for the Blue Economy, Benin
Cécile Mawe Moumbre Founder, Youth in Action for Sustainable Development, Cameroon
Laurent Ahongbonon President and scientific director, Nature Plurielle, Bénin
Jade Velonjara Advocacy Officer, Natiora Defenders, Madagascar
Caroline Mawandji Masala National President, Wimafrica DRC, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Kaoutar Merbouh Secretary General, WIMA Morocco
Louise Soppi Ndock Expert in Social and Solidarity Economy
Eliott Barichasse Ndock Secretary-General, NGO *Wandzani Wazi Mbwedza* “Friends of the Octopus,” Comoros
Aristide TAKOUKAM KAMLA * President Founder, AMMCO
Maximin Djondo * Executive Director, Benin Environment and Education Society (BEES NGO)
Mohamed KOÏTA * Climate Lead, RIM Youth Climate Movement – Mauritania
Florentine Guihard-Koidio * Chair of the Strategic Monitoring Committee, Network of Women Maritime and Port Professionals of West and Central Africa, Côte d’Ivoire
Lionel Ondoa * CEO and Founder, YLO Médias Group, Mboko Magazine
Sylvie Laure SIBE * Continental President of WIMAFRICA
Mariette Degan * Programme Officer, National Association of Women Processors and Fishmongers of Benin
Jean-Paul Wong Mpondo * National Coordinator, Cameroonian Network for the Development of Island Communities and Indigenous Peoples (RECADELI)
Dorine Nininahazwe * – Greenpeace Africa
Mouchtadi Badi Bamdou * Marine and coastal environment officer, MOHELI NATIONAL PARK, Comores

Coordinated by: Rym Benzina President of La Saison Bleue & Asmaa Benslimane First Vice-President and Secretary General of WIMAFRICA

12h50 - 14h00
Lunch Break
14h00 - 14h15
Presentation of the science, research and education College’s work
By Marine Herrmann Oceanographer, Research Director, Scientific Advisor for Coasts and Ocean IRD, France Amel Hamza-Chaffai Member of the Tunisian Academy of Sciences – Beit al Hikma & Chair of the IOC-UNESCO Africa Task Force
14h15 - 14h30
Presentation of the Blue Economy & Finance College’s work
By Martin Ndende Professor, Legal Advisor and International Expert on Maritime Affairs, Cameroon Claire Jolly Head of Ocean Economy and Space Economy (IPSO Unit), Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation, OECD, France
14h30 - 14h45
Presentation of the Governance & Territories College’s work
By Robin Degron Director, Plan Bleu Samuel Megwa Strategic Director, YARIS, EU Gulf of Guinea Interregional Network (EU-GoGIN)
14h45 - 15h00
Presentation of the Civil Society College’s work
By Rym Benzina President of La Saison Bleue Asmaa Benslimane First Vice-President and Secretary General of WIMAFRICA
15h00 - 16h00
African Atlantic Coast: What Public–Private Cooperation for Sustainable Fisheries?
15h00 - 15h50
African Atlantic Seaboard: What Next-Generation Public-Private Alliance for the Responsible Exploitation of Resources?
By H.E Ambassador Olivier Poivre d’Arvor Special Envoy of the President of the French Republic for the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference Jean-Renaud Bikoe Foreign Affairs Advisor, serving at the United Nations Directorate, Ministry of External Relations, Cameroon Yassine El Aroussi Head of the Cooperation Division, Directorate of Strategy and Cooperation, Department of Maritime Fisheries, Morocco Omar Akkouri Secretary-General of COMAIP, Morocco Hamadi Baba Hamadi President, National Fisheries Federation, Mauritania Ysaac Chavely Mbile Nguema Head of the IUU Fishing and Blue Economy Program, African Marine Conservation Organisation (AMCO), Cameroon
15h55 - 16h00
Keynote Speaker
By Eric Le Quéré Founder and President of Le Quéré
16h00 - 16h20
Break
16h20 - 17h00
Women Actions for the Ocean
By Rym Benzina President of La Saison Bleue Marina Levy Research Director at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) Chantal Ngoie Mbwese Chair of the Blue Economy Committee, WIMAFRICA, Democratic Republic of the Congo
17h00 - 17h20
Conclusion of the Blue Africa Summit and recommendations of the Blue Africa Summit
By Rym Benzina President of La Saison Bleue Abdellah Laouina Geographer, Mohammed V University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Morocco Raphael Danglade Lead Portfolio Manager, Climate and Development, Africa-Europe Foundation
17h20 - 18h00
Group picture

* : Online speaker

Organized by

Gallery

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Speakers

Rym Benzina

President, La Saison Bleue

Pascal Lamy

President of the Forum Mondial de la Mer-Bizerte, Coordinator of the Jacques Delors Institutes

Abdeljalil Lahjomri

Perpetual Secretary, Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco

Zakia Driouch

Secretary of State to the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water and Forests, in charge of Maritime Fisheries

Peter Thomson

United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy for the Ocean

Arvin Boolell *

Ministre de l’'Agro-Industrie, de la Sécurité alimentaire, de l''Économie bleue et des Pêches, Maurice

Arlette Soudan-Nonault *

Ministre de l"environnement, du développement durable et du bassin du Congo et de Secrétaire Exécutive de la Commission climat du bassin du Congo

Ahmed Shiyam

Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources, Maldives

S.E Mahatante Tsimanaoraty Paubert

Minister of Fisheries and Blue Economy, Government of Madagascar

Raphael Danglade

Lead Portfolio Manager, Climate and Development, Africa-Europe Foundation

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When

Sunday to Wednesday

December 23 to 26, 2022

Where

467 Davidson ave

Los Angeles CA 95716

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BLUE AFRICA

SUMMIT

October 9th and 10th, 2025

About the event

LOCATION

Date

Our vision

Sessions

Scheduled

09/10/2025

10/10/2025

Welcome

Opening of the Blue Africa Summit, in the presence of the organizers, senior Moroccan authorities, and representatives of national and international governance

Welcoming speech

Addresses

Afrique-Europe

Advancing Africa-Europe Ocean Cooperation: On the #RoadtoLuanda25 (7th AU-EU Heads of State Summit)

From Abu Dhabi to Tangier : connecting regions around one Ocean

Highlights from the MENA Ocean Summit and the launch of the Blue Africa Summit (Transcontinental solidarity, regional priorities highlighted during UNOC3)

Preview of the launch of the IUCN World Conservation Congress,

Concrete implementation of the Neptune Mission serving the MENA and African regions (deep-sea science, BBNJ governance, education of younger generations)

Ambitions and propositions : a Sustainable Blue African Pact

Keynote Speakers: Building a Common Vision for a Sustainable Blue Africa

Roundtable 1 : Strengthening International Cooperation

Roundtable 2 : Addressing the Major Challenges of Coastal Cities and Regions: The Ocean Rise & Coastal Resilience Coalition

Roundtable 3 : Preserving Marine Ecosystems for Sufficient Food Resources

Roundtable 4 : Presentation of the Starfish Barometer

Youth Message to Public Decision-Makers

The Trophées de l’innovation by IRD – Pitch Session

Announcement of the 4 colleges of work

Group picture

Gala Dinner - Trophées de l’innovation – Laureates Annoucement

Welcome

Plenary Presentation of the Colleges

Colleges of Experts in Science, Education, and the Blue Economy & Finance (Click to discover the speakers)

The roundtables are held in a hybrid format, allowing both in-person and online participation.

Coffee break

Colleges of Experts in Governance & Territories and Civil Society (Click to discover the speakers)

The roundtables are held in a hybrid format, allowing both in-person and online participation.

Lunch Break

Presentation of the science, research and education College’s work

Presentation of the Blue Economy & Finance College’s work

Presentation of the Governance & Territories College’s work

Presentation of the Civil Society College’s work

African Atlantic Coast: What Public–Private Cooperation for Sustainable Fisheries?

African Atlantic Seaboard: What Next-Generation Public-Private Alliance for the Responsible Exploitation of Resources?

Keynote Speaker

Break

Women Actions for the Ocean

Conclusion of the Blue Africa Summit and recommendations of the Blue Africa Summit

Group picture

Organized by

Gallery

Speakers

Rym Benzina

Pascal Lamy

Abdeljalil Lahjomri

Zakia Driouch

Peter Thomson

Arvin Boolell *

Arlette Soudan-Nonault *

Ahmed Shiyam

S.E Mahatante Tsimanaoraty Paubert

Raphael Danglade

Les voix de la mer

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