Professor Amel Hamza-Chaffai, a marine ecotoxicology expert and member of the Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts (Beit al Hikma), has been elected Chair of the Taskforce for African States and Adjacent Island States.
This Taskforce is responsible for mobilizing regional actors to coordinate and strengthen the implementation of the African Roadmap for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (Ocean Decade). It ensures that this roadmap is fully embraced and consolidated within African nations, regional organizations, Indigenous communities, and relevant stakeholder forums.
Twenty-three experts from 16 African countries and adjacent island states—Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria, Cameroon, Senegal, Togo, Kenya, Mauritius, Seychelles, Egypt, Tunisia, Eritrea, Morocco, Tanzania, Sudan, and Ethiopia—have been selected to join the Africa Taskforce. Additional seats are reserved for regional organizations, UN agencies, and NGOs, to be identified through consultations with the IOC-Africa Secretariat (IOCAFRICA).
Launch of the Africa Taskforce, Nairobi – 3 & 4 April 2023
The elections, held on 10 July 2025, resulted in the formation of a new leadership of the African Ocean Decade Taskforce, as follows:
- Chair: Prof. Amel Hamza-Chaffai (Tunisia)
- Vice-Chair: Dr. Hassan Mustahfid (Morocco)
- Vice-Chair: Dr. Ifesinachi Okafor (Nigeria)
Taskforce members were selected based on their scientific expertise, demonstrated competencies, and recognized experience in at least one of the key priority areas. The selection process also ensured geographical, generational, and gender balance, reflecting the continent’s diversity and the richness of its expertise. Areas of expertise include:
- Intergovernmental processes and regional/international coordination
- Sustainable development applied to ocean issues
- Ocean sciences, including natural and social sciences
- Science-policy interface and end-user engagement
- Blue economy, innovative financing, and ocean partnerships
- Innovation, technologies, and marine infrastructure
- Capacity building, training, marine technology transfer, education, communication, and awareness
- Development of large-scale interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary international programs and projects
The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030)—commonly referred to as the Ocean Decade—is guided by the vision: “The science we need for the ocean we want.” This global initiative aims to stimulate innovative ocean solutions to tackle major societal challenges and promote sustainable development.
Given the strategic importance of marine resources for Africa, the Ocean Decade represents a unique opportunity for the continent to boost blue growth, environmental resilience, and sustainable socio-economic progress.
Background and Foundations
As part of the preparatory work for the Ocean Decade, a major regional consultation for Africa and adjacent island states was held in Nairobi, Kenya, in January 2020. This gathering brought together a wide range of actors—government representatives, researchers, civil society members, and coastal communities—all engaged in sustainable ocean resource management.
Following this consultation, a regional gap analysis report was developed, identifying key areas requiring increased attention, particularly in science, governance, and capacity development.
Building on these findings, a series of dynamic multi-stakeholder workshops took place in early 2022. These sessions offered a platform for in-depth discussions, enabling participants to review the findings and co-define priority actions for ocean science and implementation at the regional level.
These joint efforts culminated in the African Conference on Prioritization and Partnership Development for the UN Ocean Decade, held in May 2022. As a major regional knowledge-sharing forum, the conference marked a key milestone in strengthening international collaboration.
It led to the official launch of the African Roadmap for the Ocean Decade—a strategic plan promoting coordinated, innovative, and inclusive initiatives to improve ocean health and ensure the sustainable management of marine resources across Africa.
In November 2022, the IOCAFRICA Secretariat issued a call for candidates and selected the first African Ocean Decade Taskforce.
Composition of the First Taskforce Bureau (2022–2025)
- Chair: Dr. Jackeline Uku (Kenya)
- Vice-Chair: Prof. Amel Hamza-Chaffai (Tunisia)
- Vice-Chair: Dr. Hassan Mustahfid (Morocco)
Key Achievements of the First Phase (2022–2024)
The African Ocean Decade Taskforce has made significant progress since its inception. Major achievements include:
- Strengthening collaboration between key regional and international stakeholders
- Developing the terms of reference for the Decade Coordination Office (DCO) for Africa, hosted by the IOCAFRICA Secretariat
- Launching the SEAWARD Africa program (Science and Knowledge for a Resilient and Sustainable Ocean Economy in Africa)—an approved Decade program serving as a coordination framework for continental ocean action
- Co-designing and approving several actions aligned with the priorities of the African Roadmap
- Actively representing the Ocean Decade and promoting the African Roadmap across various regional and international platforms
Taskforce Meeting – Morocco, 31 January to 2 February 2024
A Pivotal Second Phase: Leadership and Implementation (2025–2027)
During the second phase of its mandate, the Africa Taskforce will lead and oversee the implementation of the Ocean Decade African Roadmap. Its essential role is to create an enabling environment for stakeholders to coordinate efforts and co-design concrete Decade actions.
The Taskforce’s Specific Objectives Include:
- Providing clear strategic vision and coherent direction for targeted actions
- Creating a conducive framework to translate the Roadmap into co-designed actions at different levels (coordination, research, policy)
- Facilitating the creation of programs and projects to be submitted to Decade calls for action
- Ensuring effective communication on the Decade and the Roadmap through existing networks, institutions, experts, and stakeholders
- Participating in multi-sectoral outreach activities to expand regional participation, including tailored mechanisms to involve:
- Holders of Indigenous and local knowledge
- Early-career ocean professionals
- Port authorities
- Maritime services
- Private sector companies
- Foundations and philanthropic organizations
- Establishing, where necessary, thematic working groups to achieve defined objectives
The African Ocean Decade Taskforce works in close synergy with the IOC Sub-Commission for Africa and Adjacent Island States (IOC-AFRICA) and the Ocean Decade Coordination Unit at the IOC Secretariat.
Through this enhanced cooperation, the Taskforce and its members benefit from operational flexibility, allowing them to adapt mandates to regional realities and priorities—ensuring relevant, effective, and context-specific responses.