Present in London on Monday, March 9, 2026 for the Commonwealth Day celebrations, Prince Albert II met with Shirley Botchwey, Secretary General of the Commonwealth. This day was also an opportunity to seal a partnership agreement for the preservation of the oceans and the development of the blue economy.
The Commonwealth Secretariat and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation have announced the creation of a partnership presented as « major » to accelerate conservation efforts in the coastal and island states of the Commonwealth. The initiative is in the wake of the Commonwealth Declaration on the Ocean of Apia, adopted in the Samoa Islands in 2024, which calls for the restoration, preservation and sustainable use of marine ecosystems.
Specifically, this rapprochement revolves around the Commonwealth Blue Charter Project Incubator, a support scheme for ocean protection projects at a preliminary stage, with grants of up to £50,000 per project.
Five main areas of action have been defined: reduction of marine pollution, restoration of ecosystems, development of the blue economy, sustainable fisheries and ocean-climate link, in line with the commitments made in Apia.
Commonwealth Secretary General Shirley Botchwey sees this alliance as a lever for changing the scale.« This strategic partnership shows that we can generate concrete benefits for the people and for the planet when we join forces and seize opportunities together, » she says, believing that the Foundation’s support will make it possible to « strengthen » the support provided to member states while deepening « the collective commitment to the conservation of the Ocean ».
What is the involvement for Monaco?
The Prince Albert II Foundation claims in this partnership, a role as a catalyst. Its vice-president and CEO, Romain Ciarlet, insists on the collective dimension of the approach. « The health of our oceans depends on our ability to imagine and build solutions together, » he says.
The foundation says it is « proud to support the Commonwealth Blue Charter Incubator », an initiative that aims to accelerate the development of « hit-impact » projects. If the incubator finances projects across the Commonwealth, the Monegasque foundation will focus its support primarily on initiatives located in Asia and the Pacific.
In addition to the initial subsidy, the idea is also to invest in partnerships between all the actors concerned. The selected projects will also have to place « the voices of indigenous peoples and local communities (PACL), young people and communities marginalized because of their gender, at the heart of the governance of the Ocean, » recalls the joint statement of the two institutions.
The concrete impact of the project
The Commonwealth Blue Charter Project Incubator builds on the results of a first round of funding for marine conservation projects in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, America and the Pacific Ocean.
Based on this experience, a new call for projects is to be launched in the next quarter, inviting Commonwealth governments to submit applications for financial support.
For the Foundation, which claims more than 830 projects supported since its creation in 2006 in favor of the preservation of biodiversity, this partnership offers a new showcase for its international action for ocean health.
source : nice matin
