MENA Oceans Summit 2025, 3rd Edition

The MENA Oceans Summit 2025 will be convened in partnership with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and strategically aligned with the IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC) 2025, bridging regional priorities with global commitments.

Building on the outcomes of pivotal dialogues at the Third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) 2025, the 3rd Edition of the Summit unveils the Middle East Ocean Action Agenda: a transformative blueprint that identifies short and long term priorities and sets out actionable pathways to (). Laying the foundation for close collaboration between the Middle East and North Africa region on shared priorities, the Agenda shapes a cohesive trajectory for ocean and coastal resilience and regenerative blue economy development across one of the world’s most strategically significant maritime regions.

The expanded format will also convene leading experts, practitioners, and decision-makers across high-level panels and thematic deepdive discussions to facilitate cross-sectoral ocean solutions with lasting impact.

“By bringing together diverse stakeholders, the MENA Oceans Summit serves as a unique platform that helps advance our collective understanding and foster regional collaboration to address the key marine issues pertinent to the MENA region. It's a crucial gathering that supports our ongoing environmental commitments and acknowledges the sea's integral role in the cultural and economic fabric of our region”.”

H.E. MS. RAZAN AL MUBARAK

UN Climate High Level Champion, COP28 and IUCN President

Programme Highlights & Agenda

Summit Main Plenary | 8 Oct

The Main Plenary will feature the presentation of the Middle East Ocean Action Agenda; the announcement of key strategic partnerships; and showcase regional progress through targeted briefings and dynamic cross-sector panel discussions.

MENA Ministerial Roundtable | 8 Oct

The MENA Ministerial convenes MENA ministries of Climate and Environment alongside regional entities to align on the priorities, partnerships, and pathways that will support the delivery of the Middle East Ocean Action Agenda and facilitate a stronger integration of thematic programmes with the North African region.

Thematic Deep Dive Sessions | 9 – 11 Oct

Marine Protected Areas | Fisheries & Sustainable Aquaculture | Desalination & Water Management | Regenerative Coastal Tourism

These invite-only technical sessions will bring together experts from science, policy, and industry to develop actionable frameworks on strategic themes central to regional marine and coastal priorities.

Who will attend

Global development, intergovernmental organisations, ocean governance experts
Industry leaders from the blue economy (maritime and shipping, tourism, aquaculture, construction, marine sports, desalination, coastal development, coastal tourism and more)
Government, regulators and policy makers
Research and academia
NGOs, civil society and media
Technology and innovation fore-runners in ocean science

MENA Oceans Summit:
Convening for Impact

The MENA Oceans Summit is the Initiative’s flagship convening, a key regional platform for advancing dialogue and fostering dynamic partnerships to deliver transformative solutions for ocean and coastal resilience, sustainable blue economy pathways, and transboundary governance.

Since its inception in 2023, the Summit has helped shape the long-term agenda for regional collaboration by:

bridging silos and convening diverse ocean-linked stakeholders from across the region, including policymakers, industry leaders and financiers, research and academia, youth and community;
laying the foundations of the MENA Oceans Network, thereby catalysing continued strategic engagement through thematic working groups;
amplifying regional representation on global platforms, including COP28, COP29, and the Third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3);
initiating targeted programmes focused on developing regionally relevant ecosystem and sector specific mobilisation roadmaps and insight papers
launching the first regional outlook review through the Regenerative Blue Economies for Coastal Resilience Programme

Impact in Numbers:

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Streams of Engagement

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