The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is proud to announce that we have joined the MENA Oceans Network as a Founding Network Member. Our President, HRH Princess Hala, signed the agreement with Tatiana Antonelli Abella, Founder & Managing Director of Goumbook and Chair of the MENA Oceans Initiative. It was signed at the Riyadh Blue Talks in Saudi Arabia and marked a major milestone in our ongoing commitment to advancing ocean conservation in the MENA region. Our board member, Kholoud AlDosari, was also in attendance to support this important initiative.
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, positioned at the crossroads of major global maritime corridors, plays a critical role in sustaining vital marine ecosystems, supporting local economies, and facilitating global trade. MENA Oceans: An Initiative by Goumbook, brings regional ocean priorities to the forefront to drive tangible outcomes for SDG14: Life Below Water, ensuring sustainable management of our seas and blue economies. By bridging the gap between academia, the private and public sectors, youth and civil society, its collaborative frameworks prioritize science-based decision-making, facilitate knowledge exchange, and catalyze resources towards impact-driven solutions for a resilient and regenerative future.
The MENA Oceans Network is a key pillar of the initiative: a collaborative platform dedicated to accelerating ocean action by bringing together policymakers, academics, researchers, private sector innovators, and community members. Focused on conserving and restoring ocean ecosystems, catalyzing sustainable blue economies, and raising awareness of critical ocean issues, the network fosters partnerships and breaks silos to drive impactful change. Through knowledge sharing, targeted action on critical gaps, and community outreach, the Network aims to advance sustainable thinking and practice to benefit the region’s marine environments and coastal communities.
Our participation as a Founding Network Member aligns with our mission to preserve and restore marine ecosystems worldwide. Through this collaboration, we will contribute to regional ocean governance, marine science, blue economy initiatives, and policy recommendations to support regenerative ocean action.
The MOU was signed at Blue Talks: From Riyadh to Nice, an event organized by MENA Oceans: An Initiative by Goumbook in partnership with BCG; co-hosted by the Embassies of France and Costa Rica to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Presidential Special Envoys of the Third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3). The event served as the Middle East Regional Consultation in preparation for UNOC3, which will be held this summer in Nice, France.
Discussions at the consultation focused on key themes such as ocean governance, blue economies, science, and finance, fostering high-level dialogue among ocean conservation stakeholders, policymakers, private sector leaders, UN entities, and academia.
Key outcomes of the meeting included the development of a consolidated agenda for ocean-positive priorities in the region, alignment of ocean governance frameworks with international sustainability goals, and the strengthening of science-led partnerships. Additionally, the session highlighted the need to mobilize investment for sustainable ocean projects, blue economy initiatives, and the development of a funding facility being launched by France/UNOC. These efforts aim to amplify the region’s role in global ocean sustainability and ensure that MENA’s priorities are well-represented in upcoming UNOC side events, including the One Ocean Science Congress, the Ocean Rise & Coastal Resilience Forum, and the Blue Economy & Finance Forum.
By joining the MENA Oceans Network, the Living Oceans Foundation strengthens its role in shaping ocean conservation efforts in the MENA region. We look forward to collaborating with other members of the Network to bridge gaps between science, policy, and industry, ensuring that marine ecosystems thrive for generations to come.
Launch of the MENA Oceans Network: Collaborative Pathways for Ocean Action
More information about the MENA Oceans Network can be found in this video from their official launch at COP28 in Dubai:
