Monaco will host the "Blue Economy and Finance Forum" as part of the United Nations Ocean Conference 2025 (UNOC, Nice, June 2025)

On Monday 18 March, the French Organising Committee for UNOC 2025, the Oceanographic Institute of Monaco and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation officially sealed their cooperation for the organisation of the "Blue Economy and Finance Forum" (BEFF) by signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the three parties. This forum, which has been awarded the "UN Ocean Conference Special Event" label, will be held on 7 and 8 June 2025 at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference (9-13 June 2025).

Co-organised by France and Costa Rica, the United Nations Ocean Conference will be held in Nice from 9 to 13 June 2025, and aims to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG14) to "conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for resources for sustainable development".

It is in this context that the Principality of Monaco has been entrusted by the Special Envoy of the President of the Republic, Ambassador Olivier Poivre d'Arvor, to host and co-organise with France the Blue Economy and Finance Forum on 7 and 8 June 2025, with the support of the Secretary General of the UNOC, Ambassador Laurent Stefanini, and the Ambassador of France to Monaco, Ambassador Jean d'Haussonville.

Co-chaired by Pascal Lamy and H.E. Ilana Seid (Permanent Mission of Mission of Palau to the United Nations and co-chair of the Ocean Panel), this forum aims to identify and mobilise solutions to support blue economy initiatives to support the blue economy and preserve marine ecosystems.

MOBILISING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE RESOURCES FOR THE OCEAN

There is a significant financial gap between the maritime economy - which covers all activities directly or indirectly linked to the sea - and the blue economy, which is generally understood as the as the rational use of the Ocean's resources, through the deployment of the deployment of sustainable and regenerative activities, for both Man and Nature.

Beyond estimates, the Blue Economy and Finance Forum aims to mobilise companies and innovative financing solutions, both public and private, in a tangible way, for sustainable ocean activities and SDG 14. To this end, it will give stakeholders from the private sector, businesses, banks, insurance companies, philanthropies and the public sector, such as environmental funds, development agencies and banks, the opportunity to meet, share their experiences and analyse how to scale up the solutions identified.

While the forum is geared towards action to finance impact projects or new financial solutions for the Ocean, it will also focus on the countries and regions most at risk. At the end of the Forum will issue recommendations to the participants in the participants in the United Nations Diplomatic Conference, which begins the the following day in Nice as part of UNOC 2025.

Encouraged by the Principality of Monaco, the involvement of the private sector in the financing of a sustainable economy aims to foster dialogue dialogue and defend a balanced relationship between conservation and sustainable economic activities.

ABOUT :

UN Ocean Conference

After a first edition chaired by Sweden and Fiji in Fiji in New York in 2017 and the second edition chaired by Portugal and Kenya in Kenya in Lisbon in June 2022, France and Costa Rica will be hosting the third Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice from 9 to 13 June 2025. This Conference is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly and brings together all its member states. The aim of the UNOC is to implement the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 on the marine environment1. This third edition will result in an unprecedented deliverable, the Nice Ocean Action Plan, consisting of a political declaration and a list of voluntary commitments from stakeholders. To respond to the state of emergency facing the oceans, France and France and Costa Rica have three main priorities for this conference (i) advocate the success of multilateral processes (i.e. entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol) directly (i.e. entry into force of the BBNJ agreement) or indirectly (i.e. negotiation of the Plastics Treaty) linked to the ocean to raise the level of for ocean protection; (ii) mobilise financing for the achievement of the (ii) mobilise funding for the achievement of SDG 14 and support for finance and the blue economy; (iii) strengthen and better disseminate knowledge related to ocean sciences for better decision-making. France aims to mobilise for the protection of the oceans, similar to that for the climate for the climate, ten years after COP21 and the Paris Agreement (participation of around Heads of State). In addition to the member states of the United Nations specialised agencies, civil society, the private sector and international will be represented. This mobilisation is necessary both to take the emergency situation into account, build up scientific knowledge scientific knowledge, to make progress in the ongoing negotiations and to engage all the players involved.

Photo credit: ©Cedou - Institut océanographique de Monaco & ©JC Vinaj / FPA2