MENA Blue Program

This technical note aims to examine the potential impacts of climate change on coastal tourism jobs in Morocco. This note was prepared to inform a preliminary discussion with the government to strengthen coastal tourism’s climate resilience under the ongoing Blue Economy Program for Results (PforR) framework. This note may serve as technical input for the work of the Interministerial Commission for the Blue Economy to develop the blue economy strategy.

This background technical note aims to summarize the development of the partnership between the government of Morocco and the World Bank to address plastic pollution in a succinct manner. It builds on the previous report “PlasticFree Coastlines: A Contribution from the Maghreb to Address Marine Plastic Pollution”1 which summarizes the diagnostics on the status of plastic pollution and the formulation of the Littoral Sans Plastique (LISP, Plastic-Free Coastlines) strategy.

This background technical note summarizes the development of the partnership between Tunisia and the World Bank to address plastic pollution. It builds on the diagnostics on the status of plastic pollution, the main findings of which are summarized in the preceding technical report, “Plastic-Free Coastlines: A Contribution from the Maghreb to Address Marine Plastic Pollution”.

Fighting against land-based and marine plastic pollution is now a global priority. The rapid and huge increase in plastics that are leaked into the environment is a serious threat to humanity and biodiversity. In this light, Resolution 5/14 adopted in March 2019 during the resumed 5th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 5.2)3, was a crucial step forward to boost global efforts to prevent and reduce marine litter and microplastic pollution.

The Tunisian economy’s challenging past decade has highlighted the pressing need for a sustainable and resilient development model. The nation’s strategic response, encapsulated in Vision Tunisia 2035 and the 2023–2025 National Development Plan, emphasizes a green and blue economy that focuses on sectors such as tourism, fisheries, aquaculture, and maritime transport as key drivers for recovery and long-term sustainability.

The Blue Economy Development Framework (BEDF) is a set of analytical tools and technical assistance to help countries define a roadmap to a diversified and sustainable maritime economy, while building resilience to climate change.

COVID-19 crisis has unevenly affected all aspects of the fishery sector: the fished species, the destination of the product and the value chain.  However, the authorities encouraged the sustainability of the fishing activity by giving priority to the supply of the domestic market. The drop in activity has affected the income of fishermen less seriously than expected. In contrast, the shock of COVID-19 has severely affected workers in fish processing industries, especially the canned fish production.

The World Bank and PROBLUE are transforming the lifecycle of plastic and helping countries move towards a circular economy. These interventions build a better world for all, especially for the world’s poorest. Download high-resolution.

This report is prepared with the objective of conducting a rapid diagnosis of the fisheries sector and establishing an overview of it in the Gaza Strip (GS). The fisheries and aquaculture sector in the GS have many challenges, including institutional structure, movement constraints of people and goods, degraded infrastructure, and deteriorating vessels. Despite various challenges, the sector has some promising characteristics.

This report was drafted by a working group of United Nations entities, the World Bank, and other stakeholders to suggest a common understanding of the blue economy; to highlight the importance of such an approach, particularly for small island developing states and coastal least developed countries; to identify some of the key challenges its adoption poses; and to suggest some broad next steps that are called for in order to ensure its implementation.