Ocean Prediction Enhancement in Regions of Africa (OPERA)

Enhancing scientific and digital capabilities in ocean monitoring and forecasting to support the
sustainable management of marine resources and promote human well-being.

The project OPERA - “Ocean Prediction Enhancement in Regions of Africa” aims to strengthen ocean prediction capabilities and cooperation at national, regional, pan-African levels across Sub-Saharan Africa. By improving the quality and accessibility of ocean information, OPERA supports the sustainable management of marine resources, the protection of human well-being. And the conservation of ocean ecosystems. These goals align closely with key African strategic frameworks, including the Ocean Decade Africa Roadmap, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the AU Blue Economy Strategy. Furthermore, OPERA aligns with the European Union’s commitment to scientific knowledge-based, innovation-led sustainable development, underpinned by the Global Gateway Strategy and the European Ocean Pact.

Download OPERA factsheet

With 10 million euros of funding from the European Union, OPERA is the ocean component of the Africa Regional Centres of Excellence for the Green Transition (ArcX) programme. This overarching programme is dedicated to strengthening Digital and Science, Technology, and Innovation capacities in Sub-Saharan Africa, fostering scientific knowledge and innovation-driven sustainable development.

Mercator Ocean International, through its coordinating role in the OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Center and leveraging the African Regional team, has been entrusted with implementing OPERA. The project will run over five years, from 2025 to 2029.

The project is part of the collaborative efforts between the European Union, Mercator Ocean International, and various African and international partners. It emphasizes co-design and co-development with stakeholders to ensure the development of fit-for-purpose ocean prediction tools and services.

Lead organisation

Mercator Ocean International leads and coordinates OPERA, leveraging its expertise in the Copernicus Marine Service and the European Digital Twin Ocean Programme, and through its coordinating role of the OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Centre.

African Regional Centres of Excellence

OPERA will be implemented by collaborating with network of African Regional Centres of Excellence, organised into three consortia:

One consortium will focus on developing and implementing ocean forecasting systems for Essential Ocean Variables at both regional and coastal scales

Two additional consortia will develop tailored applications and tools integrating ocean data products to support the sustainable blue economy, enhance disaster risk reduction in the context of climate change and strengthen marine conservation efforts.

These consortia will be established through competitive and open calls along the course of 2025.

Read more about the technical framework:: The image above illustrates the OPERA technical framework. At the core of the project are three consortia of African partners—each comprising up to five institutions—responsible for developing ocean forecasting systems, as well as tailored applications and tools. These consortia will be supported by a dedicated technology transfer team that will co-design and develop software components, user interfaces, and visualisation tools, and will assist with testing, maintenance, and ongoing mentorship throughout the project.

The project will also include extensive capacity-strengthening activities. These will range from direct knowledge sharing with the participating consortia to a broader training strategy featuring MOOCs, ocean literacy initiatives, and advanced training opportunities open to the wider community. Engagement with users and stakeholders will be central to OPERA, ensuring that all developments are fit-for-purpose and deliver long-lasting impact.
Community-building efforts will include the creation of an online platform for exchange and discussion, further expanding the African ocean forecasting community and building on the work of the OceanPrediction DCC African Regional Team. The project will also invest in essential hardware—including the acquisition of a supercomputer—for use by the consortia.
To foster private-sector engagement, OPERA will support business venture development based on the systems and applications created through the project. Finally, all applications and data products will be integrated into a single African Digital Twin Ocean framework—an Ocean Knowledge Hub designed to ensure open access to data, support the deployment of applications, foster the use of ocean information in decision-making and policy, and stimulate further innovation and knowledge sharing.

Enhanced African European collaboration on knowledge-driven sustainable development

The ocean component - OPERA, is one of 5 thematic components of the ArcX programme, including biodiversity and forestry, water, and agroecology, and climate. The launch of the ocean component underscores the European Union’s ongoing commitment for strengthened international ocean governance and enhanced African European cooperation towards scientific knowledge-based, innovation-led sustainable development as underlined in the EU Ocean Pact.

With over 30,000 km of coastline and over 1.5 million km2 of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), African countries are highly dependent on the ocean, making accurate Ocean prediction and knowledge even more vital for environmental, economic, and social well-being.

OPERA will serve the ocean information and knowledge priorities outlined in African strategic frameworks, while aligning with the European Union’s policies and directives. By integrating these frameworks and shared goals, OPERA will enhance ocean prediction capacities to address ocean information and knowledge priorities in a coordinated collaborative network

Video from OPERA stakeholder consultation meeting held in Cape Town, South Africa, April 2025

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OPERA will serve the ocean information and knowledge priorities outlined in African strategic frameworks, while aligning with the European Union’s commitment to scientific knowledgebased, innovation-led sustainable development. By integrating these frameworks and shared goals, OPERA will enhance ocean prediction capacities to address ocean information and knowledge priorities in a coordinated collaborative network

Support to key strategic frameworks:

African Union Agenda 2063: ‘the Africa We Want’

Emphasizes ocean governance and the blue economy as key pillars for achieving inclusive growth, environmental sustainability, and Africa’s maritime prosperity through effective management of marine resources and enhanced regional cooperation.