This mission was marked by the holding of the first meeting of the Technical Committee for the Development of the Blue Economy (EB) in Morocco which officially launched the work to develop the National Strategy for the Development of the Blue Economy (SNEB), through the validation of the roadmap and work plan proposed by the ministry, we indicate in a press release.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, jointly with the wilayas of the Souss-Massa and Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima regions, hosted two regional workshops aimed at popularizing the Program among territorial stakeholders and presenting technical assistance relating to the design of coastal clusters and the development of an integrated blue sector growth index.
The mission began with a plenary session bringing together all the partners and during which the progress of the projects was discussed, emphasizing the achievements to date and the challenges to be met.
In its role as coordinator of the Program, the ministry presented the progress recorded both in terms of the projects carried out by the various stakeholders in the Program and in terms of the actions that fall within its area of intervention. The MEF has announced, in this regard, the upcoming launch of a blue economy web portal.
According to the press release, the National Aquaculture Development Agency (ANDA) highlighted its commitment through a global envelope of 116 million dirhams for the period 2023-2027, centered on three main axes. This involves the development of 14 aquaculture farms (including four run by women), algae cultivation and the creation of a shrimp cluster. The year 2023 was marked by the launch of the first aquaculture farms scheduled for 2024, making it possible to achieve the targeted objective for that same year.
In terms of scientific foundations for sustainable management, the National Institute of Fisheries Research (INRH) continues to provide a solid scientific basis for the management of fisheries resources, committing to analyzing 17 fish stocks by the end of the program.
With a record of 325 days at sea in 2023 for offshore campaigns, and 180 for coastal campaigns, the Institute demonstrates the effort made in scientific research and sustainable management of fishery resources.
In terms of protection and development of marine protected areas (MPAs), the Department of Maritime Fisheries (DPM) has made significant progress in the establishment and reclassification of these areas. In particular, the MPA of the Souss Massa region illustrates the concrete application of the Maritime Spatial Planning process, an initiative aimed at balancing the needs of environmental protection with those of economic and social development, the press release said, specifying that 171 fishermen and women have benefited from training on the importance of MPAs.
Concerning the creation of the Agadir MPA, the public inquiry procedure was closed on January 14, 2024, the department has 90 days to examine the comments entered in the registers. Furthermore, a public consultation took place on February 27, 2024 in Larache, bringing together 84 stakeholders in favor of the establishment of an MPA in this region, highlighting strong support for the sustainable development of fisheries.
Regarding the projects carried out by the Moroccan Society of Tourist Engineering (SMIT), namely the creation and transformation of very small, small and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMEs), it should be noted the creation and operationalization of two Regional Development Companies (SDR) in the regions of Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima and Guelmim-Oued Noun. These two SDRs are added to that already operational in the Souss-Massa region.
Projects for the creation and transformation of tourism SMEs concern 100 companies in Guelmim-Oued Noun, 150 in the Sous Massa region and 600 in Tangier, with particular attention paid to gender integration and raising women’s awareness of entrepreneurship in SMEs.
In the Agadir Sous-Massa region, field visits were organized to assess the physical achievements of four tourism projects benefiting from the first call for projects from the SDR TPME tourism (SMART Tourism).
As for blue tourism, the Moroccan National Tourism Office (ONMT) has implemented large-scale advertising campaigns, notably “Morocco-Terre de Lumière” and “Ntla9awfbladna”, which have generated an impressive impact with contacts numbering respectively 66,967,883 and 428,465,579 for the period from January to December 2023.
The ongoing campaigns and posts on social networks have increased the promotion of seaside destinations, reaching millions of additional contacts thanks to the continued efforts on digital platforms and the contributions of influencers.
In total, ONMT initiatives made it possible to reach 276,438,855 contacts, highlighting Morocco’s seaside attractions to a large national and international audience.
In terms of coastal ecosystem monitoring, the Ports and Maritime Public Domain Department (DPDPM) is continuing its coastal monitoring efforts through the acquisition, evaluation and interpretation of very high resolution satellite images.
As of the date of the mission, 320,000 hectares have been assessed, with projects underway to reach a total of 3,947,000 hectares at the end of the program. This approach, enriched by technical assistance for the precise calculation of the coastline, underlines the DPDPM’s commitment to informed and sustainable management of Morocco’s coastal areas.
Concerning beach monitoring and communication, the Department of Sustainable Development (DDD) carried out, as part of its “Beach Monitoring” indicator, all field campaigns to control the quality of water and sand, as well as classification. beaches according to current standards.
At the same time, this Department reviewed and adapted its communications plan to better integrate and coordinate activities related to coastal protection, with particular emphasis on the use of digital platforms and the establishment of newsletters.
In addition, the program included marine pollution simulation exercises (Simulex) and specialized training, demonstrating a notable increase in the number of people trained for the management of the marine and coastal environment (1,295 at the end of 2023).
In terms of coastal restoration and conservation, the National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF) was able to restore, as part of the Program, 200 hectares of coastal forests and fix 60 hectares of coastal dunes, demonstrating its commitment to conservation and sustainable use of coastal and marine resources.
Field visits to the Souss-Massa region also made it possible to examine current projects, assess their impacts and interact with certain beneficiaries of the Bank’s intervention.
During its restitution, the mission welcomed the progress made over the last four months, and underlined the government’s commitment to sustainable development of coastal and marine areas.
The joint efforts of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the World Bank and other national entities demonstrate a firm desire to promote a resilient blue economy, marking a promising step towards achieving Morocco’s sustainable development goals, concludes the press release.