Title: Africa Regional Centres of Excellence - ArcX: Ocean Component.
The OPERA project (Ocean Prediction Enhancement in Regions of Africa) represents the ArcX Ocean component.
Main Objective: To improve ocean resources sustainability and human welfare by strengthening digital and scientific capacities in ocean monitoring and forecasting in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Specific Objectives:
Build cooperation and foster a coordinated and dynamic African ocean prediction community to enhance regional leadership and global collaboration in ocean monitoring and forecasting
Strengthen African capacities in ocean monitoring and forecasting at national, regional, and pan-African levels, improving access and use of digital ocean resources
Strengthen ocean regional and coastal forecasting systems for Essential Ocean Variables (currents, sea height, temperature, salinity, fish abundance, etc.)
Develop fit-for-purpose ocean data-driven applications and services to support sustainable blue economies, protect coastal communities and safeguard marine ecosystems
Develop an African Digital Twin Ocean/ocean Knowledge Hub framework to enhance sharing, accessibility, and use of digital ocean resources for informed decision-making and continued innovation
Strengthen the uptake and long-term impact of the project’s results by engaging stakeholders and users through co-design, targeted activities and knowledge tools, while fostering private sector participation and stronger links with policy.
Support policy and foster long-term commitment to help achieve goals of key ocean related priorities in African and European frameworks and increase long-term support for ocean monitoring and forecasting
Cooperation and community building to expand ocean prediction community in Africa, fostering cooperation within sub-Saharan Africa and with the global community
New services and applications to support disaster risk reduction and response, blue economy and marine conservation efforts
Capacity sharing knowledge & technology transfer
Strengthened capabilities enhance ocean monitoring and forecasting capacities
Stronger science policy pathways and engagement of the private sector.
Target Groups: African governments and decision-makers, Regional Centres of Excellence and scientific institutions, Local and regional authorities involved in coastal management and risk reduction, Blue economy stakeholders (fishing, aquaculture, maritime transport, offshore energy, etc.), Civil society (coastal communities, NGOs, citizen scientists).
Leading Regional Centre of Excellence (RCoE):Mercator Ocean International
Scientific and Technical Support: Capacity Development – UNESCO Chair of Mathematical Physics and Applications CIPMA), Gulf of Guinea Ocean Sciences Summer School (GGOSSS), University of Abomey Calavi
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Mercator Ocean International is a world leader in digital oceanography, advancing science, policy, and society through trusted ocean analysis, forecasting, and intelligence. Owned by 10 public research institutions and foundations, we unite top scientific and operational expertise from across Europe and beyond. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, and led by Director-General Pierre Bahurel, our team of 120 experts delivers operational digital descriptions of marine environments worldwide.
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In the framework of the project OPERA - Ocean Prediction Enhancement in Regions of Africa, the workshop will bring together representatives from key African institutions working in
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