The 8th edition of the Sea Forum, which opened Thursday evening in El Jadida, highlights the crucial issues related to ocean protection and marine biodiversity, with the ambition of rethinking the relationship with the sea from a sustainable development perspective.
Organized until May 11, under the theme “The Sea, Future of the Earth,” this Forum aims to be a space for exchange, reflection, and action, bringing together experts, researchers, artists, as well as representatives from institutions, NGOs, and businesses around major environmental and maritime challenges.
Under the banner of international cooperation, this edition honors France as the guest country, marking the desire to strengthen synergies to promote sustainable management of oceans and coastlines.
The opening ceremony of the Forum was marked by the presence of the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, the Consul General of France in Casablanca, Pascale Trimbach, and the governor of the province of El Jadida, Mhamed Atfaoui.
Speaking at the opening session, the founder of the Forum, Mehdi Alaoui Mdaghri, emphasized the importance of making the sea a central topic in public policies, with the aim of promoting a sustainable future.
Mr. Alaoui Mdaghri stressed the need to unite the forces of all actors to build sustainable governance of the oceans. “This event is an invitation to act together to address a universal challenge,” he added.
For her part, the Consul General of France in Casablanca highlighted the strategic importance of maritime spaces as invaluable resources for the economy and food security, praising Morocco’s commitment to ocean protection and the “exemplary” institutional cooperation between Paris and Rabat in this area.
While emphasizing the “active contribution” of the Kingdom to the preparation for the upcoming International Conference on Oceans scheduled for next June in Nice, Ms. Trimbach insisted on the role of these two “great maritime nations” in preserving the blue gold in the face of the threats of climate change and overexploitation.
The Moroccan ambassador to the United States, Youssef Amrani, for his part, emphasized the issues related to promoting cooperation across the Atlantic Ocean as a strategic space.
In a video message broadcast during the opening session, he stated that “the Royal Initiative for the Atlantic, driven by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, carries an ambitious vision for Africa: that of inclusive, sovereign Atlantic cooperation oriented towards shared development.”
For Mr. Amrani, “this approach transforms geographical constraints into strategic bridges and places the countries of the South at the heart of the global dynamic,” adding that “Morocco proposes a model of sustainable, open, and solidarity-based development, where the South becomes an active engine of regional and international progress.”
Addressing the spirit and objectives of the Forum, the governor of the province of El Jadida emphasized the strategic importance of this now essential meeting for maritime actors in Morocco, stating that this event highlights the maritime assets of El Jadida, which boasts a coastline of 145 km, 16 beaches rich in biodiversity, and the industrial port of Jorf Lasfar, an essential driver of regional economic development.
Mr. Atfaoui stressed the need to promote an inclusive blue economy based on the sustainable valorization of marine resources, while also alerting to the urgency of preserving coastal ecosystems in the face of the threats of climate change, pollution, and overfishing, while advocating for integrated, responsible, and collective management of maritime heritage.
The Sea Forum 2025 revolves around six major themes: “Feeding and Healing,” “Preserving,” “Trading,” “Dialoguing,” “Advocacy,” and “Exploiting and Innovating.” The program includes conferences, thematic and artistic workshops, exhibitions, film screenings, as well as animations, sports activities, and marine environment discovery activities.