Spain Commences Co-Presidency of WestMED Initiative for Sustainable Blue Economy

Spain Takes Helm of WestMED Co-Presidency

As of January 2026, Spain has officially assumed the co-presidency of the WestMED Initiative for a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Western Mediterranean. This leadership role, managed through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, is set to continue until the end of 2027. During its tenure, Spain will share the co-presidency with Tunisia in 2026 and with Algeria in 2027, highlighting a collaborative approach to regional maritime governance.

Objectives of the WestMED Initiative

The WestMED Initiative, launched in 2017, involves 10 countries from both the European and North African shores of the Western Mediterranean: Algeria, France, Italy, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, and Tunisia. Its primary goal is to foster sustainable blue growth and employment, enhance maritime safety and security, and safeguard marine ecosystems and biodiversity across the region. The initiative also aims to contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts. To date, the WestMED Initiative has facilitated 15 innovative projects, collectively valued at approximately EUR 24 million.

Spain's Vision and Priorities

Spain's co-presidency is driven by a vision to capitalize on interconnections and synergies, not only between various sea basin strategies but also across different maritime sector developments and stakeholder generations. Notably, Spain will also preside over the Atlantic Strategy in 2026, and has adopted a unifying motto for both strategies: 'Building on synergies for sustainable oceans'.

Key initiatives planned by Spain during its co-presidency include:

• Launching a new WestMED Technical Group on Blue Skills.
• Initiating discussions for the establishment of a Marine Observation and Data Collection community of practice, which will be closely aligned with the proposals of the EU Ocean Pact.

The WestMED Initiative provides crucial support to a diverse range of stakeholders, including public institutions, academia, local communities, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and entrepreneurs, assisting them in developing local and regional maritime projects that bolster the Sustainable Blue Economy. The implementation of the initiative is further supported by the WestMED Assistance Mechanism.