Boosting the Blue Economy Potential in Morocco

Project Summary:

This project aims to provide the analytical underpinnings for the development of a Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) system, and identification of innovative financing mechanisms for the Blue Economy to prepare the proposed project. The project also aims to ensure the implications of COVID-19 impacts on coastal and marine resource users and to contributors of Blue Economy by structuring necessary actions and mechanisms to address the current and future impacts to the process. The main expected result of this project is the increased capacity in the government for the development of policies that favor sustainability, and increased intra and inter-governmental coordination for seascape management.

List of Activities:

• Development of Marine Spatial Planning System: support to develop a Moroccan policy, institutional and stakeholder platform for MSP, MSP roadmap and pilot MSP plan in Morocco
• Development of Sustainable Financing Mechanisms for the Blue Economy: Investment climate analysis and framework for Blue Economy financing; Development of prototypes for blue Economy financing

Outcomes:

Output 1

• Policy, institutional and stakeholder platform consultations and Knowledge exchange
• MSP Roadmap and MSP for one region

Output 2

• Inventory of existing investment and policies supportive of bank executed activities financing and Investment climate framework for bank executed activities
• Potential financing instruments for three prototypes of investments/projects for a selected sector

Outcomes

The project will apply Green/blue growth principles to MSP strategy and sustainable financing framework for achieving blue economy targets of Morocco. The project will integrate green/blue growth principles including promotion of environmentally sustaining new growth opportunities, identifying actions to enhance quality of life of people. The project will increase awareness on benefits of the application of green/blue growth principles for management and use of coastal and marine resources. New partnerships will be created for knowledge exchange on MSP, particularly with the Government of South Korea to learn on the policy initiatives and application of MSP.

Collaboration with K-Partners and Others:

• Korean Maritime Institute (KMI): To learn on the development of MSP and Management Act (2018), designing the MSP system, governance systems for multi-stakeholder engagement for planning and decision-making on MSP implementation.
• Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF): To learn on the development of MSP and Management Act (2018) and related strategies and plans and operationalization of the plans.
• Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO: Coordination with the IOC MSP
• Direction InterRégionale de la Mer (DIRM): TO learn from the current experience of the French MSP under preparation through the Interregional Directorates for the Sea (DIRM).