August 15, 2025: Blue Wall Leadership Programme 2025-2026: Emphasizing and Enhancing the Influence of Ocean Defenders in fortifying and maintaining Africa's marine environment
The Great Blue Wall Initiative has launched the Great Blue Wall Leadership Program 2025-2026, a capacity building and leadership training initiative focused on ocean advocacy. This program, supported by the Western Indian Ocean Coastal and Oceanic Resilience (WIOCOR) project, aims to equip local leaders from five Western Indian Ocean countries – Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Tanzania – with the skills, networks, and visibility to influence policies and tell the story of ocean protection.
The program's focus is on seagrass ecosystems and African ocean and coastal protection, as these ecosystems face threats from climate change, overuse, and habitat loss. Seagrass meadows, often referred to as the "unsung hero" of the ocean, store up to 18% of oceanic carbon, feed millions through productive fisheries, protect coasts from erosion, and provide habitat for threatened species like dugongs and green turtles. Over 60 million people depend on these ecosystems for their livelihoods.
The Great Blue Wall Leadership Program is open to individuals actively involved in ocean conservation, regenerative blue economy, or nature-based solutions. Applications are accepted in French, English, and Portuguese and can be submitted until August 30, 2025 (23:59 EAT).
Across Africa, communities, scientists, entrepreneurs, and young leaders are developing solutions for seagrass restoration, coral reef regeneration, mangrove protection, sustainable blue economy businesses, and inclusive governance models. The program aims to ensure that these innovations, knowledge, and the role of ocean guardians in African coastal communities are heard, supported, and championed in decision-making spaces.
While no direct application link or detailed procedure is given, the program appears to be managed primarily through consultant or fellowship applications coordinated by IUCN regional offices. Interested candidates or organizations should visit the IUCN website or their regional offices and look for official fellowship or consultancy calls for the Great Blue Wall program.
For more information about the Great Blue Wall Leadership Program, visit https://www.greatbluewall.org/leadership-program. By joining this program, participants will not only strengthen their leadership capacity but also contribute to the protection and restoration of vital seagrass meadows and the overall health of the Western Indian Ocean.
- The Great Blue Wall Leadership Program is focused on science, particularly environmental-science and ocean advocacy, as it aims to equip local leaders with the skills and networks to influence policies and tell the story of ocean protection.
- The program emphasizes health-and-wellness and personal-growth as it seeks to cultivate leaders who can champion solutions for seagrass restoration, coral reef regeneration, and sustainable blue economy businesses, among others.
- Learning and education-and-self-development are key components of the program as it encourages applicants to share their innovations, knowledge, and experiences in nature-based solutions, regenerative blue economy, and inclusive governance models.
- The Great Blue Wall Leadership Program is dedicated to the fitness-and-exercise of our environment, specifically the protection and restoration of seagrass meadows, which store significant amounts of carbon, support productive fisheries, protect coasts, and provide habitat for threatened species like dugongs and green turtles.