Scaling Investment: The Mangrove Breakthrough
Contributed by Ignace Beguin Billecocq, Executive Director, Mangrove Breakthrough; Advisory Board Member – MENA Oceans
Strategic Partners:
3rd Annual MENA Oceans Summit, October 2025, UAE
About The Summit
MENA Oceans Summit is the flagship convening under the MENA Oceans Initiative, dedicated to accelerating the pace of comprehensive ocean action to restore ocean ecosystems, tackle climate change and ensure sustainable development of blue economies through a collaborative, cross-sectoral framework. The Summit engages under four key streams – Blue Economy, Blue Governance, Blue Science and Blue Collective.
The inaugural MENA Oceans Summit in 2023, held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment in Dubai, UAE, hosted over 550 people from different stakeholder groups including policy makers, private sector, academia and researchers, community organizations and NGOs.
In 2024, the MENA Oceans Summit evolved to greater regional representation and 3 deep dives, developing the foundations for thematic working groups and the kick off of the MENA Oceans Network.
Summit Key Pillars
Blue Economy
Billions of people depend on healthy oceans for their livelihoods, food security, health, and recreation. Under the Blue Economy stream, the focus lies on developing sustainable pathways for integrated development of sustainable ocean sectors, while prioritizing ocean health and marine resources management. This includes innovative Blue Finance schemes and strategies for mitigating the effects of unsustainable practices.
Blue Goverance
Policy and marine governance play a key role in fostering accountability amongst countries to ensure successful multilateral partnerships. This stream brings together leaders to discuss strengthening governance for an ocean conservation plan within and beyond national jurisdictions; promoting and facilitating joint scientific research; and establishing strict frameworks for blue economies.
Blue Science
Advancing research and scientific innovations helps tackle the impact of climate change and anthropogenic activities on marine and coastal ecosystems. Under the Research and Science stream we discuss key challenges like biodiversity loss, climate change, ocean plastic pollution, dead zones, and food insecurity as well as the outcomes of evidence-based innovative projects to address them.
Blue Collective
Engaging youth and communities through impact-driven awareness and educational sessions will prompt collective clean ocean action for ocean health. Take part in a curated masterclass, expand your knowledge by attending a Climate Fresk workshop – a gamified way to uncover the challenges, interlinkages, and solutions related to climate change -, or join us for a movie screening and a fireside chat with an inspiring clean oceans advocate!
Previous Speakers
HE Razan Al Mubarak
UN Climate Change High Level Champion, COP28
IUCN President
HE Marwan Abdulla Alzaabi
Assistant Undersecretary, Regions Sector
UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment
HE Ahmed Esmaeil Alsayed Alhashmi
Executive Director, Terrestrial and Marine Sector
Environment Agency Abu Dhabi
HE Ambassador Nicolas Niemtchinow
Ambassador of the French Republic to the UAE
Ignace Beguin Billecocq
Exective Director
Mangrove Breakthrough, Ambition Loop
Dr. Ahmed Al Ansari
Advisor, Environmental Protection and Regeneration
Red Sea Global
John Burt
Associate Professor, Head of Environmental Studies; Co-director, Mubadala ACCESS Center
NYUAD
Farid Al Awlaqi
Chief Executive Officer
Generation, TAQA
Ayla Bajwa
VP – Group Sustainability
DP World
Dr Reem Al Mealla
Founder
Nuwat for Environmental Research & Education
Prof. Mahmoud Hanafy
Scientific Consultant
HEPCA
Elayne Looker
Marine Consultant
5Oceans
Download insight papers from MENA Oceans Summit 2024
Insights & News
Red Sea Reveals Hidden Oases of Life
Contributed by Ms. Taiba Alamoudi, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Domain Specialist –
Coral Reefs at Risk: Global Call to Protect Coral Reefs
Contributed by International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), Founding Member – MENA Oceans Network A major