The UAE has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing investment in the blue economy and ocean sustainability during a keynote address at the Blue Economy and Finance Forum (BEFF) in Monaco.
Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President and CEO of Frontier25 and The Climate Tribe and Chairwoman of Alliances for Global Sustainability, RESET MENA, and Aurora50, represented the UAE at the forum and delivered the keynote address.
The Blue Economy and Finance Forum (BEFF) is organized by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Oceanographic Institute of Monaco under the patronage of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco.
The event brought together policymakers, financial institutions, private sector representatives, and philanthropic organizations to advance discussions on sustainable and regenerative ocean-based economic models.
The forum was attended by Prince Albert II of Monaco and Catherine Chabaud, France’s Minister of State attached to the Minister for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, and International Climate and Nature Negotiations, in charge of the Sea and Fisheries.
Sheikha Shamma emphasized that the ocean must be viewed as a responsibility rather than a resource, highlighting its central role in sustaining life and underpinning global economic systems.
Sheikha Shamma underscored that, “The sea is not a resource. It is a responsibility. It is also the source and sustenance of life on this planet. That is not sentiment. It is the basis on which every economy, including the blue economy we are convened to discuss, ultimately rests. Advancing the blue economy requires sustained investment in innovation, ideas, and long-term solutions, noting that climate change demands continuous global action without delay.”
Image Credits: ADMO | Cropped by GBN
Prince Albert II of Monaco also addressed the forum, stressing the need to accelerate investment in ocean-related initiatives. He noted that barriers to ocean finance are gradually declining, but delays in decision-making continue to carry significant environmental and economic costs.
“The barriers to investing in the Ocean are falling, one by one. Only one thing now stands between the ocean and the capital it needs: the decision to act,” Prince Albert II said.
In January 2026, Frontier25 and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the Ocean Innovators Platform at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. The agreement aims to strengthen cooperation in impact investment, ocean innovation, and blue finance.
The partnership builds on the UAE’s ongoing marine conservation initiatives, including efforts led by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi to restore four million coral colonies by 2030, one of the largest coral rehabilitation programs globally.
