OPERA Annual Workshop 2026 Announcement
Second Annual OPERA Workshop to Strengthen Africa–Europe Collaboration in Ocean Forecasting | 12–14 October 2026 | Cotonou, Benin
Event website: OPERA Annual Workshop 2026
The second annual Ocean Prediction Enhancement in Regions of Africa (OPERA) Workshop will take place from 12–14 October 2026 in Cotonou, Benin, bringing together partners from across Africa and Europe to advance regional ocean forecasting capabilities and strengthen international collaboration.
Coordinated by Mercator Ocean International, the workshop is organised collaboration with the Université d'Abomey-Calavi – UNESCO International Chair of Mathematical Physics and Applications (UAC/ICMPA), the Benin Institute for Halieutic and Oceanographic Research (IRHOB) and the Benin Environment and Education Society (BEES NGO), IOC Sub Commission for Africa and the Adjacent Island States and GOOS Africa.
The workshop will provide a platform to share progress made since the project's launch, introduce new African partners as well as the technical assistance team, and present planned developments that will strengthen ocean forecasting systems and their applications across the continent.
Image from the previous OPERA Annual Workshop in Cape Town, South Africa
A major milestone of this year's meeting will be the introduction of the African Regional Centre of Excellence for Ocean Forecasting, together with its technical partners and planned activities. The workshop will also announce the African Regional Centres of Excellence for Ocean Applications and showcase the selected applications that will support sustainable development and informed decision-making across African coastal and marine regions.
To cement the cornerstone of capacity development that is integral to OPERA, dedicated sessions led by UAC/ICMPA will present current and upcoming training opportunities designed to strengthen technical expertise across the African ocean prediction community and beyond.
The workshop will also promote dialogue between experienced practitioners and emerging professionals, supporting the development of a new generation of experts equipped to deliver operational ocean forecasting services across Africa.
By fostering collaboration across disciplines, sectors, and regions, the workshop will contribute to a more connected and resilient ocean prediction community that supports sustainable ocean management throughout Africa.
Annual workshops like these instil the value that reliable ocean forecasting plays a critical role in protecting coastal communities, supporting fisheries and maritime industries, strengthening climate resilience, and enabling evidence-based decision-making. This second annual OPERA Workshop marks an important step towards achieving this vision while reinforcing the objectives of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030). OPERA is officially an endorsed UN Ocean Decade Action, working alongside other actions to address pressing ocean issues such as ecosystem stressors and pollution sources, biodiversity restoration, blue technologies, climate mitigation, marine monitoring, capacity development, and ocean literacy.
This year additionally there will also be a side event dedicated to African Digital Twin Ocean Initiatives co-organised with the African Ocean Decade Taskforce from 15 to 16 October. The DTO Africa Implementation Workshop will bring together African and international experts to co-design the roadmap for developing a coordinated, interoperable, and African-led Digital Twins of the Ocean (DITTO) ecosystem.
Organised within the framework of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, the workshop will focus on translating the global DITTO vision into concrete actions that address Africa's priorities. Through collaborative discussions and co-design sessions, participants will explore how digital ocean technologies, real-time observations, numerical modelling, artificial intelligence, and FAIR data principles can support climate resilience, sustainable ocean governance, marine biodiversity conservation, fisheries and aquaculture management, disaster risk reduction, and the growth of the Blue Economy.
Learn more about the Implementing DTO for Africa Workshop here: DITTO Workshop
About OPERA :
The Ocean Prediction Enhancement in Regions of Africa (OPERA) project is an initiative supporting the development of sustainable ocean forecasting capacity across Africa. Through partnerships between African and European organisations, OPERA strengthens operational oceanography, develops Regional Centres of Excellence, promotes technical cooperation, and invests in capacity development to improve access to ocean prediction services that support society, the blue economy, and climate resilience.
About OceanPrediction DCC:
The OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Centre (OceanPrediction DCC) supports the implementation of the Ocean Prediction Programme of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030). By connecting regional teams, scientific institutions, operational centres, and partners worldwide, OceanPrediction DCC advances collaboration, capacity development, innovation, and knowledge exchange to improve ocean prediction for the benefit of society.
Media Contact:
OceanPrediction DCC
Email: oceanpredictiondcc@mercator-ocean.fr
Website: https://www.unoceanprediction.org
Follow us