National Seminar on Developing Blue Skills in Tunisia
A national seminar on developing blue skills in Tunisia was held yesterday in Tunis by the national hub of the WestMED initiative in partnership with the relevant ministries, universities, training centers, and economic actors.
Objective of the Seminar
The objective of the seminar is to identify actions to modernize training in the field of the blue economy and align them with international standards and the requirements of the time in terms of technology and environmental protection. The seminar was organized by the national hub of the WestMED initiative, which is funded by the European Union and aims to strengthen the blue economy in the Western Mediterranean.
WestMED Initiative
The WestMED initiative supports public institutions, universities, SMEs, and entrepreneurs by facilitating access to EU-funded programs, submitting project proposals, and forming international consortia. It also contributes to fueling discussions between policymakers and business leaders and promoting the benefits of a sustainable blue economy by participating in and organizing workshops and conferences. With experts in 10 countries, it offers an extended network and in-depth knowledge of all aspects of the blue economy, from fishing and aquaculture to ecological navigation and sustainable maritime tourism.
Interview with Zied Bouzouita
When asked about the objectives of the meeting, Zied Bouzouita, Director of Mediterranean Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized that it is a "Tunisian-Tunisian meeting to identify our needs and expectations in terms of the blue economy." He noted that "there is a consensus on the need to develop blue skills in Tunisia," but this does not mean that Tunisia lacks skills, rather that there is a need to modernize them to keep pace with the rapid development of technology, whether in the context of depollution, decarbonization, marine space planning, or the development of sustainable coastal tourism that benefits coastal communities.
Partnership with WestMED
Bouzouita added that the partnership with WestMED allows Tunisia to strengthen its cooperation with neighboring and friendly countries within the 5+5 format, which is the ideal framework for choosing themes and projects that Tunisia can work on in cooperation with these countries.
Statement by Asma Shiri Laabidi
In a statement to the media on the sidelines of the meeting, Asma Shiri Laabidi, Secretary-General of Maritime Affairs at the Presidency of the Government, noted that "the organization of the national day on the development of blue skills is an important opportunity for the country to identify priorities and needs in the field of the blue economy, whether for traditional activities such as fishing, aquaculture, tourism, maritime transport, and port services, or in promising sectors that need to be further developed, such as the naval industry, marine biotechnology, and pharmaceutical industries."
Objectives of the Seminar
Laabidi added that through this seminar, they aim to create a dynamic and interaction between the various public and private sector stakeholders, educational institutions, and vocational training institutions. She emphasized the importance of having a unified vision among these stakeholders to identify the country's needs in terms of blue skills and the means to develop maritime professions, which play a crucial role in economic development in general, as well as addressing environmental problems and youth unemployment.
Establishing a Roadmap
The objective of the seminar is to establish a roadmap that identifies the blue professions to be developed, whether traditional or future professions that are not sufficiently developed at the national level. The second objective is to establish a roadmap for appropriate training, whether at the level of basic education, university education, or vocational and continuous training.
Importance of the Blue Economy
Laabidi highlighted the importance of the blue economy and its central role in the national economic fabric, noting that it currently contributes 15% to the GDP and employs 12% of the national workforce. She concluded that Tunisia aims to double these rates during the period 2030-2035.
