Brussels - Paris: Europe and the Arabs
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will participate in the UN Ocean Conference, taking place in Nice, France, tomorrow, Monday, June 9. On the eve of the conference, the President will join the Leaders' Dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. According to a statement issued by the Commission's headquarters in Brussels, on Monday morning, the President will participate in the first plenary session of the UN Ocean Conference, which will open the event. This will be followed by a general debate, during which she will deliver a speech, at approximately 10:15 CEST, highlighting the European Commission's efforts to promote global ocean protection.
In the afternoon, President von der Leyen will participate in a demonstration of the "European Digital Twin of the Oceans" – a digital tool that models the ocean's multiple components. The knowledge gained from this project will be publicly available and aims to improve our understanding of the ocean's past and present, as well as provide reliable forecasts for its future. Later, President von der Leyen, together with President Macron, European Council President António Costa, and Fisheries Commissioner Costa Cadiz, will present the European Ocean Charter to conference attendees. This is a coherent strategy to better protect the oceans, foster a thriving blue economy, and support the well-being of coastal populations. The Charter brings together EU ocean policies under a single framework and addresses the major threats facing our oceans and coastal communities. The President will be joined by Dubravka Soica, Commissioner for the Mediterranean; Jessica Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and Competitive Circular Economy; and Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Commissioner for Transport, who will all participate in the UN Ocean Conference.

France is preparing to host the third United Nations Ocean Conference, which will be held in Nice from June 9 to 13, 2025. This event is described as pivotal for the future of planet Earth. This global event is expected to bring together heads of state and government, tens of thousands of scientists, researchers, environmental activists, and representatives from the private sector and civil society, with the aim of developing a clear and effective plan of action to protect the oceans.