As the world gathers in Nice for the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC), the call for urgent, actionable solutions to protect the ocean has never been more critical. With just five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, SDG 14 – Life Below Water – remains the most underfunded goal, despite the ocean’s undeniable role in sustaining life on Earth.
The ocean generates more than half of the planet’s oxygen, acts as a vast carbon sink, and underpins the livelihoods of billions – yet finance for its protection and regeneration lags dangerously behind. This financing gap is even more pronounced across African Island States and Small Island Developing States (AIS SIDS), where climate vulnerability and economic fragility collide.
FSD Africa joins the global dialogue at UNOC 2025 to spotlight the critical role of sustainable finance in unlocking Africa’s blue potential. As a pan-African development agency focused on innovative finance for development, FSD Africa is leveraging its platform to champion ocean partnerships and scalable investment models that can support resilience, biodiversity, and inclusive growth.
On Friday 13 June, FSD Africa will contribute to two high-level sessions:
1. Strengthening Ocean Partnerships for Resilience and Sustainable Finance: Charting a Blue Future for African Island States and AIS SIDS
8:45–10:00 AM | Room 1, Blue Zone
This session convenes policymakers, development financiers, and regional leaders to consolidate partnerships for ocean resilience. The discussion will highlight innovative finance mechanisms and ecosystem-based approaches that African Island States and AIS SIDS can deploy to achieve SDG 14 targets. FSD Africa will share insights on bridging the blue finance gap through catalytic investment and regional collaboration.
2. Harnessing Regional Integration for Advancing a Sustainable Blue and Circular Economy in Africa
12:45–1:30 PM | Manta Room, La Baleine
Africa’s ocean economy is ripe with potential but realising it requires integrated regional strategies. This session explores how regional economic cooperation can drive the growth of sustainable Blue and Circular Economies across the continent. FSD Africa will spotlight practical models for scaling climate-smart investments and advancing shared prosperity through cross-border collaboration.
As the momentum builds towards 2030, FSD Africa’s engagement at UNOC underscores a simple truth: protecting life below water is not just an environmental imperative, but an economic opportunity for Africa. By unlocking private capital, fostering regional alignment, and strengthening ocean governance, we can chart a course toward a resilient, sustainable Blue Future.