Held under the high patronage of the President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, His Excellency Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, the Forum was officially opened by Prime Minister El Moctar Ould Djay. In his address, he painted an unambiguous picture of the situation: coastal erosion, sea-level rise, overexploitation of fishery resources, marine pollution, biodiversity loss and illegal fishing were among the threats he explicitly named. “We must build a collective, ambitious and sustainable response,” he declared, calling on States, partners and coastal communities to combine their efforts.
Mahamadou Gado, WAEMU Commissioner, underlined the economic dimension of the challenge. For him, the blue economy represents a major lever of transformation for the sub-region: growth, employment, poverty reduction – all opportunities held within marine resources, provided their exploitation is sustainable.
Messouda Baham Mohamed Laghdaf, Mauritanian Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, highlighted national progress, citing in particular the creation of the “Baie de l’Étoile” marine protected area as a concrete illustration of the country’s commitment to the conservation of marine ecosystems.
Ahmed Senhoury, Executive Director of PRCM, emphasised the need for a truly inclusive approach. “The degradation of ocean health not only threatens ecological balance. It also jeopardises the economies and populations that depend on it,” he warned, advocating for governance that brings together States, local communities, researchers, civil society and donors.
Throughout the four days of proceedings, the blue economy occupied a central place in discussions. Technical workshops, plenary sessions and side events addressed the sustainable management of marine resources, the development of fisheries value chains, mangrove restoration and the resilience of coastal communities to climate change. Experts, decision-makers and civil society representatives shared experiences and recommendations, with a common objective: to reconcile economic growth, ecosystem preservation and the inclusion of coastal populations.