THE « FORUM MONDIAL DE LA MER – BIZERTE »

   Since its inception in 2018 under the presidency of Pascal Lamy, the Forum Mondial de la Mer-Bizerte has established itself as one of the key international events on the southern shore of the Mediterranean, dedicated to maritime issues. This forum has played a crucial role in Tunisia by promoting the creation of the Secretariat for Maritime Affairs, the Maritime Cluster, and by launching the deep-water port project in Enfidha. In 2021, it initiated the formation of a "Coalition of Mediterranean Elected Officials." Following the 5th edition of the Forum in 2022, the group of international and national experts "OCEAN 2050," the first prospective think tank on maritime issues, drafted the "Bizerte Declaration." In 2023, the Forum explored the theme "The Ocean and the Mediterranean in the Age of Boiling," and our experts drafted a synthesis from Bizerte.

   The Forum Mondial de la Mer-Bizerte has quickly established itself as the venue for all expressions, both from Mediterranean coastal countries and the African continent, with Bizerte being the northernmost point. By attending the Forum Mondial de la Mer-Bizerte in 2021, Prince Albert II of Monaco and numerous leaders from around the world highlighted the importance of what we have built together at the regional level.

   For its 7th edition, the Bizerte Forum will set the agenda of priorities for one of the most emblematic and threatened natural treasures on the planet, facing a severe crisis that jeopardizes its biodiversity and sustainability. Researchers, international organizations, local authorities, professional actors, and think tanks continually reassess their forecasts in light of various scientific, climatic, economic, and demographic data. The Mediterranean is indeed on the verge of boiling as well as the extinction of its life, which could lead to devastating consequences for the approximately 520 million people living in the countries along its coast.

   The European Union will play a central role in this edition of the Forum. Aligned with the Green Pact, the EU's mission "Restore our oceans and waters by 2030" aims to eliminate pollution, restore ecosystems and biodiversity, and accelerate zero-carbon emissions and the circular blue economy. It promotes regional engagement and cooperation through "lighthouses" in four marine and river basins. In collaboration with La Saison Bleue, the Blue Mission Med, a crucial support program for the EU's Mediterranean mission, has chosen to organize its annual meeting on the occasion of the 7th edition of the Forum Mondial de la Mer-Bizerte.

   As the United Nations celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Mediterranean Action Plan, now the Barcelona Convention, in Nice at UNOC 3, it is now up to the Mediterranean to set its priorities on the agenda of this crucial conference in many ways.

   Join us in Bizerte on September 13, 2024, to write this page of an ever-restarting odyssey!

Produced by: La Saison Bleue

Pascal Lamy, President

Rym BENZINA, Director

Mehdi BEN HAJ, General Commissioner of the Forum Mondial de la Mer - Bizerte

www.lasaisonbleue.com