Blue Economies for Coastal Resilience (BEFCR)

Launched at the Blue Economy and Finance Forum (BEFF) Monaco, a Special Event preceding the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) 2025, the Blue Economies for Coastal Resilience (BEFCR) Programme is a pioneering initiative by the MENA Oceans Initiative by Goumbook, in strategic partnership with Earthna – Qatar Foundation.

The BEFCR Programme is the first comprehensive effort to assess how climate change is reshaping key blue economy sectors in the MENA region, and to identify the opportunities these sectors hold to strengthen coastal infrastructure, ecosystems, and communities.

Programme Highlights:

Phase 1

Landscape Analysis & Strategic Review:

Blue Economies for Coastal Resilience Outlook Report.
Conduct a landscape analysis and outlook review to lay the groundwork for a regenerative blue economy vision, aligning economic growth with ecological regeneration and socio-economic resilience.

Phase 2

MENA Coastal Cities Blueprint:

Blue Economy Framework.
Translate insights into actionable guidelines to shape a coherent, investable roadmap for coastal cities across the region, enabling MENA countries to unlock the full potential of their marine and coastal resources.

Key sectors:

Geographical scope:

Spanning the regional basins including the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea

Key outcomes:

Forge cross-sectoral collaborations to enhance knowledge sharing
Map coastal protection and adaptation measures
Lay the foundation for a regional nature positive engineering framework for coastal cities in partnership with ICSI
Identify sector specific interventions and financing gaps
Create a strategic framework for sustainable blue economies

Landscape Analysis and Regional Outlook Review

The outlook report will include insights from key stakeholders across the value chain within 6 identified sectors. It will adopt a dual lens approach to the role of blue economies in enhancing coastal resilience & driving regeneration.

Key areas of focus include:

Intersections between ocean health, climate change and regeneration frameworks for
Major policy drivers enabling blue economy sectors to drive ecosystem regeneration
Gaps, challenges & opportunities
Financing gaps and proposed mechanisms
Best practice case studies regionally and globally

Key stakeholders and contributors

Methodology

Authors, contributors and tools:

Programme Co-chairs: Proposed (IUCN World Commission for Protected Areas) + (Proposed) Earthna + Blue Economy Expert (TBC)
Programme Committee: Programme chairs supported by subject matter experts: to contribute towards methodology, tools, structure and insights
Lead Authors: MENA Oceans, in partnership with Knowledge Partners + a leading consulting firm
Kick-off meeting: with the board, authors and committee to validate and finalise methodology, identify key indicators, develop tools and establish a review process

Insight gathering:

Stakeholder mapping to identify key organisations and institutions within stakeholder groups
Literature review of global and regional studies
Primary interviews, in person and virtual consultations with key stakeholders
x1 in person regional consultation workshop

Analysis and report writing:

Report writing by lead authors, x2 reviews by Programme Chairs / Committee and MENA Oceans Network domain specialists
Approvals from partners and key stakeholders

Blue Economies for Coastal Resilience (BEFCR)

Programme Highlights:

Phase 1

Landscape Analysis & Strategic Review:

Blue Economies for Coastal Resilience Outlook Report.
Conduct a landscape analysis and outlook review to lay the groundwork for a regenerative blue economy vision, aligning economic growth with ecological regeneration and socio-economic resilience.

Phase 2

MENA Coastal Cities Blueprint:

Blue Economy Framework.
Translate insights into actionable guidelines to shape a coherent, investable roadmap for coastal cities across the region, enabling MENA countries to unlock the full potential of their marine and coastal resources.

Key sectors:

Geographical scope:

Key outcomes:

Landscape Analysis and Regional Outlook Review

Key areas of focus include:

Key stakeholders and contributors

Methodology

Authors, contributors and tools:

Insight gathering:

Analysis and report writing:

Interested to learn more?

Insights & News

Scaling Investment: The Mangrove Breakthrough

Red Sea Reveals Hidden Oases of Life

Coral Reefs at Risk: Global Call to Protect Coral Reefs

Blue Economies for Coastal Resilience (BEFCR)

Programme Highlights:

Phase 1

Landscape Analysis & Strategic Review:

Blue Economies for Coastal Resilience Outlook Report. Conduct a landscape analysis and outlook review to lay the groundwork for a regenerative blue economy vision, aligning economic growth with ecological regeneration and socio-economic resilience.

Phase 2

MENA Coastal Cities Blueprint:

Blue Economy Framework. Translate insights into actionable guidelines to shape a coherent, investable roadmap for coastal cities across the region, enabling MENA countries to unlock the full potential of their marine and coastal resources.

Key sectors:

Geographical scope:

Key outcomes:

Landscape Analysis and Regional Outlook Review

Key areas of focus include:

Key stakeholders and contributors

Methodology

Authors, contributors and tools:

Insight gathering:

Analysis and report writing:

Interested to learn more?

Insights & News

Scaling Investment: The Mangrove Breakthrough

Red Sea Reveals Hidden Oases of Life

Coral Reefs at Risk: Global Call to Protect Coral Reefs

Blue Economies for Coastal Resilience Outlook Report.
Conduct a landscape analysis and outlook review to lay the groundwork for a regenerative blue economy vision, aligning economic growth with ecological regeneration and socio-economic resilience.

Blue Economy Framework.
Translate insights into actionable guidelines to shape a coherent, investable roadmap for coastal cities across the region, enabling MENA countries to unlock the full potential of their marine and coastal resources.