Eight years after its launch, the scheme for a sustainable blue economy in the western Mediterranean (WestMED) associates Morocco with nine other riparian states in a structured framework of maritime cooperation ordered around three strategic objectives and six operational priorities. The document published in February 2026 traces the evolution of a regional mechanism supported by the Union for the Mediterranean (UpM) 5+5 dialogue and placed under the authority of a steering committee bringing together all the member countries and the European Commission.
The text recalls that « since its launch eight years ago, the sustainable blue economy in the Western Mediterranean has fostered links between southern Europe and North Africa in order to strengthen regional cooperation. » He specifies that « ten countries – Algeria, France, Italy, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Spain, Portugal and Tunisia – are committed to rigorous governance and the development of sustainable blue growth, creating jobs and innovation. »
The report also highlights that « the device supports the development of blue projects by providing technical support for financing opportunities and by connecting potential partners at the level of the sea basin. » For daily execution, it is indicated that « the assistance mechanism, financed by the European Commission, has a national pole in each member country, led by experts from the blue economy. »
Financial results and distribution of projects
In eight years, the assistance mechanism has supported 216 project ideas submitted to calls for funding. Among them, 68 obtained financial assistance, generating « more than €115 million in investments to support the sustainable blue economy ». The consolidated total of the budgets mentioned in the document reaches precisely 115,205,422 euros.
The breakdown of approved projects reveals a predominance of actions linked to an intelligent and resilient blue economy (57%), ahead of improved maritime governance (29%) and maritime security (14%). By priorities, 36% concern the development of coastal communities, sustainable fishing and aquaculture; 17% biodiversity and the restoration of marine habitats; 12% the development of skills; 9% maritime poles; 14% maritime safety.
The document also notes that 28 non-member countries participate in the beneficiary consortia. Greece, involved in 23 projects, and Croatia, involved in 15 files, are among the most active partners, ahead of Germany (9) and the Netherlands (7).
Strategic priorities and presence of Morocco
The three structuring objectives are defined as follows: « a smart and resilient blue economy », « improved maritime governance » and « a safer and more secure maritime space ». The six priorities include the development of coastal communities, maritime safety and pollution control, skills training and circulation, maritime poles, sustainable consumption and production, the preservation and restoration of marine biodiversity.
The revised ministerial declaration of 2023 adds several axes, including « the decarbonization of the blue economy, in particular the development of renewable marine energy sectors », « the intensification of efforts against air and marine pollution », or « the increase in ambitions to preserve marine and coastal biodiversity in the Mediterranean. »
Morocco is explicitly among the ten participating States and takes part in several funded projects, particularly in the fields of fisheries, coast guard training, fight against illegal fishing and port cooperation. The e-FishMed project, for example, provides for « the establishment of a virtual regional academy to support the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and the control of conservation and management measures in the Mediterranean. »
The Moroccan presence is also manifested in programs related to decarbonized maritime transport, cooperation of maritime poles or marine waste management. The document underlines that the scheme « extends its partnerships far beyond the ten participating countries », with cooperations covering all European sea basins.
At the end of these eight years, the report states that the WestMED framework will continue to « deepen cooperation to promote a sustainable blue economy for the benefit of people and nature, today and for future generations. »
source : barlamane
