Minister Leila Benali Calls for an African Alliance to Address Ocean Threats in Nice
Leila Benali, the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, chaired the eighth committee at the United Nations Third Ocean Conference, held on Thursday, June 12, 2025, in Nice, France. The committee discussed ways to enhance regional and sub-regional cooperation in ocean protection, with representatives from various governments and international organizations and experts from around the world, including Italian Secretary of State for Environment and Energy Security, Claudio Barbaro.
In her speech, Benali warned of the deteriorating environmental situation of the oceans, noting that 22 tons of plastic are dumped into the seas every minute. She expressed concern that by 2050, plastic may outweigh fish in the oceans. She described these indicators as “irreversible,” from coastal erosion to declining biodiversity and increasing pollution, considering them direct threats to global environmental security.
She emphasized that no single country can protect the oceans alone, making regional cooperation a necessity rather than an option. She highlighted that Morocco, under royal guidance, has adopted this approach, recalling the Atlantic Initiative aimed at transforming the Moroccan Atlantic coast into a driver of sustainable development in Africa.
Benali reminded participants of the Tangier Declaration from the “Africa Blue” summit, which committed African leaders to launching unified ocean governance, developing the blue economy, and ensuring a fair share of environmental and climate financing for the continent.
She stressed the challenges faced by developing countries, particularly regarding financing, technology transfer, and data access. She called for translating knowledge into implementation tools, funding cross-border marine protected areas, and narrowing the gap between the North and South.
Additionally, she proposed three priorities: scalable local solutions, partnerships that strengthen the capacity of vulnerable nations, and governance based on cooperation and solidarity. She asserted that the success of any initiative depends on engaging coastal communities, joint planning, shared responsibility, and establishing frameworks for regional cooperation, including South-South and North-South partnerships, to amplify the voices of affected regions in decision-making circles.
The eighth committee’s discussions reviewed cross-border cooperation experiences, examined blue financing mechanisms, and emphasized the importance of coordinating international agreements, particularly the new biodiversity agreement, the marine biodiversity agreement beyond national jurisdiction, and the need to integrate oceans into national climate commitments.
