Côte d’Ivoire unites stakeholders to boost blue economy development

Grand-Bassam, 30 July 2026 — A pivotal workshop convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) kicked off today in Grand-Bassam, bringing together key stakeholders to validate reports from four thematic groups focused on advancing the country’s blue economy. The initiative aims to align these findings with national sustainable development priorities while identifying concrete partnership opportunities to propel the sector forward.

Speaking on behalf of the FAO Representative in Côte d’Ivoire, Dedi Séraphin, Programme Officer for the agency, underscored the long-standing partnership between the UN organization and the Ivorian government. This collaboration spans critical areas such as food security, sustainable natural resource management, and the dedicated blue economy project, which seeks to harness the potential of aquatic, fisheries, and coastal resources sustainably.

Dedi emphasized that the thematic group reports serve as strategic decision-making tools, designed to guide public policies and investments in the blue economy. These reports integrate ground-level realities and national priorities to ensure practical and impactful outcomes.

The FAO representative urged participants to leverage the two-day workshop to pinpoint actionable public-private partnerships and critically assess the reports. The goal is to craft realistic, prioritized recommendations with clearly defined responsibilities, setting the stage for tangible progress.

He reaffirmed FAO’s commitment to supporting Côte d’Ivoire in implementing the workshop’s outcomes. This support includes deploying technical expertise and fostering dialogue among public, private, and technical partners to translate recommendations into measurable actions with realistic timelines and tailored financing mechanisms.

The ultimate objective is to position the blue economy as a sustainable driver for food security, job creation, and resilience across the nation.