Two and a half years after its launch, the **Morocco Blue Economy Program** shows encouraging results, according to an evaluation by the **World Bank**. With a budget of **350 million dollars**, this program aims to **strengthen the sustainable management of marine resources** and to **stimulate inclusive economic growth**.
During the **mid-term review mission**, which took place from **February 17 to 28, 2025**, several projects were visited, including a shrimp farming facility in Skhour Rhamna, small and medium-sized tourism enterprises in the Souss-Massa region, the new marine protected area of Agadir, as well as dune stabilization and coastal forest restoration projects.
The evaluation highlights several concrete advances in various key sectors. In terms of **coastal management**, 1.69 million hectares of Moroccan coastlines have been mapped. Regarding **water quality monitoring**, 184 out of the 204 planned beaches are now being monitored, and the mobile application **“Iplages”** has been launched to facilitate citizens’ access to real-time information.
In the field of fishing and aquaculture, the **INRH** has evaluated 14 fish stocks out of the 15 planned, while the **Secretary of State for Maritime Fishing** has officially established the marine protected area of Agadir by decree. The **ANDA** has launched 16 aquaculture projects, including one farm already in operation.
In terms of **ecological restoration**, the **ANEF** has restored 7,405 hectares of coastal forests and 259 hectares of dunes. On the tourism side, the **ONMT** has conducted promotional campaigns for seaside destinations, reaching nearly 1.9 billion contacts.
The program relies on **close collaboration among several institutional actors**, including the **Secretary of State for Maritime Fishing**, the **Department of Sustainable Development**, the **ANDA**, the **ANEF**, the **Moroccan Society of Tourist Engineering (SMIT)**, and the **INRH**. The **General Directorate of Local Authorities (DGCT)** also plays a central role in facilitating regional project coordination.
With these advances, Morocco strengthens its position as a regional leader in the blue economy while ensuring the sustainable management of its marine resources for future generations.