As a founding member of the United Nations Decade Alliance of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (Ocean Decade) and as a member of the Decade’s working group in Africa and the Adjacent Island States (the Taskforce), the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection is hosting the second day of the in-person African Ocean Decade Taskforce meeting at its Hassan II International Environmental Training Center, on February 1st, 2024.

Spread over three days, this meeting, with the first and third days being hosted by the National Institute of Fisheries Research (INRH), is crucial in the development and implementation of the African roadmap for the Ocean Decade.

The meeting brings together representatives from the Executive Board and members of the Taskforce, the UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC UNESCO), the African Sub-Commission (IOC UNESCO Africa), and the National Institute of Fisheries Research (INRH). Special care is given to youth through the participation of Early Career Ocean Professional (ECOP) representing the Moroccan network (ECOP Moroccan Node).

This meeting is also the occasion to discuss the proposal for the Side Event planned during the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference, hosted by Spain and co-organized with UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC/UNESCO). Over three days from the 10 – 12 April, the Foundation as a partner in the Side Event, will highlight its contribution to implement the African roadmap for the Ocean Decade, both at the national and continental levels, specifically concerning the “ocean literacy” program.

About the Ocean Decade:
Launched in January 2021, the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), the ‘Ocean Decade’, provides a convening framework for a wide range of stakeholders across the world to engage and collaborate outside their traditional communities to trigger nothing less than a revolution in ocean science.
Throughout the Ocean Decade, partners will generate the data, information and knowledge needed for more robust science-informed policies and stronger science-policy interfaces at global, regional, national, and even local levels. By collectively aligning research, investments, and initiatives around a set of common challenges, the Ocean Decade community will contribute to a well-functioning, productive, resilient, sustainable and inspiring ocean.
The Ocean Decade’s vision is: « The science we need for the ocean we want ».
An Ocean Decade Alliance was established to leverage and multiply financial and in-kind resource commitments towards the Ocean Decade.
A Decade Advisory Board was also set up to provide strategic advice on the implementation of the Ocean Decade. The 15 experts selected by the IOC/UNESCO for the period 2024-2025, hailing from over a dozen countries, come from government, private sector, philanthropy, civil society and the scientific community.

About UNESCO’S Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission:
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC/UNESCO) promotes international cooperation in marine sciences to improve management of the ocean, coasts, and marine resources. The IOC enables its 150 Member States to work together by coordinating programs in capacity development, ocean observations and services, ocean science and tsunami warning. The work of the IOC contributes to the mission of UNESCO to promote the advancement of science and its applications to develop knowledge and capacity, key to economic and social progress, the basis of peace and sustainable development.

About the African Ocean Decade Taskforce:
The working group, a multi-stakeholder entity, was nominated in October 2022 with a mandate to lead the implementation of the Ocean Decade roadmap for Africa. The working group represents a multi-stakeholder entity tasked with overseeing and encouraging the implementation of the Decade roadmap. Its primary responsibility is to provide support and contribute to the coordination of stakeholders involved in implementing the roadmap for Africa, jointly designing, and implementing Decade initiatives.
The Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection is part of the African Ocean Decade working group.