In the framework of the sequence of high-level SBE-related gatherings organized in Algiers in mid-October, UfMS was represented at the 1st edition of the Algerian Blue Economy Conference (ABEC) held on 15 October in Algiers, as well as in related back-to-back meetings organized by the EMFAF-funded and UfM-supported CallMeBlue Project. CallMeBLUE aims at strengthening existing cluster alliances in the Mediterranean area and to accelerate North-South regional cooperation towards the emerging of strategic maritime clusters in North Africa.
With regional and Mediterranean resonance, ABEC aimed at bringing together key and innovative stakeholders from blue economy sectors across the Western Mediterranean, in various industries such as shipbuilding, hydraulic resources, sustainable fishing and aquaculture, maritime transport, marine biodiversity, and renewable energy in maritime spaces. Organized under the patronage of the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Start-ups, and Micro-enterprises, it featured conferences, round tables, and workshops led by national and international experts, addressing the current and future challenges of the sustainable and innovative blue economy, including:
- Sustainable Fisheries & Aquaculture: Exploring future practices and technological advances.
- Financing and Insuring the Blue Economy: Strategies for sustainable growth.
- Biodiversity Conservation and Eco-Tourism: Linking conservation with eco-tourism development.
- Innovations in Maritime Transport and Infrastructure: Advancing sustainability in maritime operations.
- Strengthening Maritime Clusters: Best practices and cooperation for growth.
A highlight of the event was the signing of two strategic Memorandums of Understanding (MoU), marking a new era of international collaboration:
- Leancubator partnered with the Cluster Maritime Tunisien and Strategis - Maritime Center of Excellence (Greece) to promote joint innovation and exchange within the Mediterranean blue economy.