The first Regional Partnership Forum “Our Sea – Our Source – Our Future: The Wider Caribbean (and beyond): United in Action” will take place in Cartagena, Colombia, alongside the 78th Conference of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI78). The Forum marks a key milestone for advancing ocean governance and sustainable development across the Wider Caribbean region and adjacent seas.

This Forum comes at a pivotal moment following the launch of the Wider Caribbean Ocean Coordination Mechanism (OCM) in December 2024: a regional, multi-stakeholder platform created to enhance cooperation, dialogue, and joint action for healthy marine and coastal ecosystems and sustainable blue economies.

Objectives

The Forum will bring together governments, intergovernmental organizations, and a wide range of ocean stakeholders to:

• Raise awareness of the OCM, its mandate, and its 2025–2028 Work Programme.

• Present the outcomes of the first joint meeting of the OCM Working Groups (29 October), including draft roadmaps for:

  • A regional Marine Data and Information Infrastructure (MDII).

  • An integrated “State of the Marine Environment and Socio-Economics” (SOMEE) reporting mechanism.

  • A new, holistic regional “Oceans” Strategic Action Programme (SAP).

• Exchange experiences, best practices, and opportunities for collaboration.

• Mobilize collective support for implementing the OCM Work Programme.

Key Themes

Discussions will center on strengthening regional coordination, promoting integrated ocean governance, and aligning efforts with global frameworks such as:

• SDG 14 – Life Below Water and related climate and biodiversity goals.

• The Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

• The Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

• The UN Decade of Ocean Science and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

• Commitments under the Cartagena Convention and its Protocols.

IW:LEARN’s Role

The Forum is being co-organized by GEF IW:LEARN together with regional partners including UNEP, UNDP, IOC of UNESCO, CAF, FAO, GCFI, and others. It forms part of IW:LEARN’s ongoing efforts to promote Regional Ocean Governance Dialogues, strengthen cross-sectoral collaboration, and support knowledge exchange for sustainable ocean management.

The event will serve as a platform to connect ongoing regional initiatives, including PROCARIBE+, BE CLME+, and the Gulf of Mexico and Pacífico Sostenible projects, and to shape a unified, transformative ocean agenda for the Wider Caribbean.