Princess Lalla Hasnaa Represents King Mohammed VI at UN Ocean Conference
Doha – Princess Lalla Hasnaa is participating in the 3rd United Nations Conference on the Ocean (UNOC-3) in Nice as the representative of King Mohammed VI.
The conference opened today and will continue until Friday, bringing together more than 50 heads of state and government, along with over 1,500 delegates from nearly 200 countries.
The opening session featured speeches by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves Robles.
This five-day event is co-organized by France and Costa Rica under the theme 'Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean.'
On Sunday evening, prior to the conference opening, Princess Lalla Hasnaa attended a dinner hosted by President Macron and his wife Brigitte in honor of the participating heads of state and government. She was welcomed by the French presidential couple upon her arrival at the dinner venue.
The UNOC-3 follows previous conferences held in New York (2017) and Lisbon (2022). It aims to advance the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 14, focused on the sustainable use of ocean resources.
The conference will examine various aspects related to oceans, from sustainable fishing to marine pollution, as well as interactions between climate and biodiversity.
Unlike COP meetings or international treaty negotiations, no binding agreements will be signed in Nice. Instead, states will present voluntary commitments and a joint declaration.
According to Costa Rica's UN ambassador Maritza Chan, the conference is expected to generate $100 billion in new public and private funding for sustainable ocean development.
The gathering was preceded by three parallel events: a scientific summit that gathered over 2,000 scientists from June 3-6, the official presentation of a global coalition of coastal cities and regions on June 7, and a blue economy summit in Monaco on June 7-8.
Participants are discussing a range of topics, including the high seas treaty, plastic pollution, overfishing, seabed mining, and decarbonization of maritime transport.
Major political leaders attending include Brazil's President Lula da Silva, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Han Zheng, the second-highest official in the Chinese regime.
France is expected to announce the creation of new marine protected areas, particularly in Polynesia, and the strengthening of existing ones, such as those protecting coral reefs.
Additionally, an oceanographic mission called Neptune, involving ten countries with oceanographic and space agencies, will be officially launched and is scheduled to run from 2026 to 2040. Tags: King Mohammed VIPrincess Lalla Hasnaaunited nations conference
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
41 minutes ago
- Morocco World
King Mohammed VI, Trump to Announce Major Boeing Aircraft Purchase Deal
Rabat — Royal Air Maroc (RAM) is expected to renew its fleet through a new deal with Boeing, as well as a new small order from Airbus. Reuters quoted industry sources as saying that Royal Air Maroc is close to securing a deal with Boeing for dozens of jets. Europe's Airbus, however, is also seeking to supply the Moroccan carrier with a small order for 20 A220 jets. 'The sources asked not to be named because the negotiations are not public,' Reuters reported , noting that talks have been ongoing for over a year to enable Royal Air Maroc to renew its virtually all-Boeing fleet. The company is expected to cling to its traditional supplier for its demands, including the 737 MAX and 787 Dreamliner. 'While the fleet plan reinforces the carrier's historic ties with Boeing, the sources said, it opens the door to Airbus for the first time in almost 25 years with an order for the A220,' the news outlet said. It also recalled that the potential order from Airbus comes as Morocco and France are boosting bilateral ties at all levels. These ties have been building rapidly ever since France's historic decision to recognize Morocco's sovereignty over its southern provinces in Western Sahara in July of last year. Reuters' report came a few days after Bloomberg announced the same news, noting that Royal Air Maroc is in the final stages of a significant aircraft deal with Boeing, alongside a smaller agreement with Airbus. Bloomberg cited sources familiar with the matter, noting that the Boeing order could be delayed, potentially pending a high-level meeting between King Mohammed VI and US President Donald Trump. If confirmed, the high-level meeting could further upgrade the already strengthening ties between the US and Morocco, particularly as Washington has recently reaffirmed its steadfast support for Morocco's territorial integrity, especially over the southern provinces in Western Sahara. Earlier this month, Minister of Transport and Logistics Abdessamad Kayouh said in a parliamentary session on June 3 that Royal Air Maroc plans to acquire 10 more aircraft before the end of the year and another 10 in 2026. He said that the company also welcomed three Boeing 787 Dreamliners during the first week of June, on top of two new planes delivered earlier this year. In 2023, Royal Air Maroc announced that it is seeking to increase its fleet of commercial aircraft, boosting the number from 50 to 200 over the next 15 years. The program is part of the government's pledges to support the tourism roadmap. Morocco's ambition is to attract 65 million tourists by 2037. In 2024, the North African country celebrated a major milestone, welcoming over 17.4 million tourists. Tags: Royal Air Maroc (RAM)Royal Air Maroc Best Airline in Africa
Maroc
2 hours ago
- Maroc
UNOC-3: Morocco Champions Africa's Role in Inclusive, Scientific Ocean Governance
Morocco's steadfast commitment to Africa and its efforts to promote inclusive ocean governance took center stage at two high-level side events held on Tuesday in Nice, France, as part of the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC-3). Participating in both side events, Zakia Driouich, Secretary of State in charge of Maritime Fisheries, emphasized the joint efforts of states, environmental institutions, and civil society actors to make the ocean a lever for sustainable development, regional integration, and South-South solidarity. The first event, organized by the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection under the theme 'Innovation in Africa to Accelerate the Global Implementation of SDG 14,' provided an opportunity for Driouich to reaffirm Morocco's commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 14 through innovation and African cooperation. Commending the Foundation's pioneering role, she underscored Africa's ambition to establish a cooperative model of ocean governance, as reflected in the Blue Africa Summit and the Tangier Declaration. Driouich also spoke of integrating technological, social, and institutional innovation at the core of African maritime strategies, while advocating for stronger African representation in international forums and the recognition of the continent's potential. Morocco, she stated, positions itself as a key driver of 'blue diplomacy,' placing the ocean at the service of sustainable development, peace, and sovereignty of African nations. Themed "Africa's blue ambition for UNOC3: Morocco's commitment to regional cooperation," the second side event was organized by the Secretary of State in charge of Maritime Fisheries. This meeting highlighted Morocco's promotion of inclusive ocean governance, based on science, diplomacy, the blue economy and South-South cooperation. These two events, which fully align with the Atlantic Vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, helped put forth the African priorities at UNOC-3 and strengthen regional blue economy synergies while supporting the implementation of international ocean actions. MAP: 11 June 2025
Maroc
2 hours ago
- Maroc
Africa Takes Maritime Destiny in Hand Under HM the King's Impetus
Under the impetus of HM King Mohammed VI, Africa is taking its maritime destiny into its own hands and repositioning itself as a central player around this Atlantic space, French Euro-African relations expert Guillaume Chaban-Delmas said on Tuesday. The statement was delivered in response to the Sovereign's message to participants in the "Africa for the Ocean" Summit, co-chaired on Monday in Nice by HRH Princess Lalla Hasnaa, Representative of His Majesty the King, and French President Emmanuel Macron. Behind this strategic review of the Kingdom's maritime role lie the economic, political and legal issues that will determine the continent's future, explained the French expert. Pointing out that international trade by sea is still organized according to a logic inherited from the colonial period, Chaban-Delmas noted that the vision carried by the Kingdom, under the leadership of HM the King, "engages a dynamic of assertion of Africa as a sovereign power around an Atlantic axis carrying a new balance in the structuring of world trade." According to the perspective defined by HM the King, he explained, the Atlantic Ocean is conceived as a space for South-South cooperation. The Dakhla Atlantic port, he continued, is fully in line with this regional dynamic. He concluded that "the Atlantic must be a space for the co-construction of a legal framework that fully affirms the sovereignty of the African continent." MAP: 10 June 2025
