Presentation

Who we are ?

Regional organization for cooperation dedicated to the fisheries and aquaculture sector in Africa

Established in 1989 at the initiative of His Late Majesty King Hassan II – may God rest his soul –, ATLAFCO is a regional fisheries organization working toward solidarity-based fisheries cooperation among its 22 member states, spanning from Morocco to Namibia.

Its headquarters are located in Rabat (Morocco), in accordance with the Headquarters Agreement signed with the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco.

Its legal instruments are deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) and the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

It also holds the legal status of an International Organization (I.O.).

Republic of Angola
Republic of Benin
Republic of Cabo Verde
Republic of Cameroon
Republic of the Congo
Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
Republic of Gabon
Republic of The Gambia
Republic of Ghana
Republic of Guinea

Current Presidency

Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Republic of Guinea-Bissau
Republic of Liberia
Kingdom of Morocco

Executive Secretariat

Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Republic of Namibia
Federal Republic of Nigeria
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe
Republic of Senegal
Republic of Sierra Leone
Republic of Togo

Institutional Framework

The organization is based on the following institutional structure:

• The Conference of Ministers: the supreme decision-making body, which meets every two years;

• The Bureau: a coordination body, which holds an annual session;

• The Executive Secretariat: based in Rabat, Morocco, in accordance with the provisions of the Headquarters Agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco and ATLAFCO. The Executive Secretariat is responsible for implementing the decisions of the Conference of Ministers.

 
 

A Shared African Vision of Solidarity, Backed by Concrete Actions

 

In 2024, ATLAFCO reached a strategic milestone through several key initiatives:

• Two ecosystem-based survey campaigns were conducted in the waters of Benin and Liberia, with the technical and logistical support of the National Institute for Fisheries Research (INRH) of Morocco;

• Regional workshops and seminars were organized on fisheries governance, the blue economy, aquaculture, the valorization of fishery products, and climate change resilience.

These actions reflect our commitment to a sustainable, inclusive, and solidarity-based blue economy, fully aligned with the enlightened vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI – may God preserve Him.

 
 

A Strategy Focused on the Future

 

Within the framework of its Strategic Action Plan 2025–2027, adopted at the 11th Ordinary Session of the Conference of Ministers, held in Abidjan on 23–24 April 2025, ATLAFCO plans to implement innovative projects aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), based on an approach centered on:

• South-South cooperation;

• Regional solidarity through the pooling of resources;

• Technical innovation;

• Continuous scientific research; and

• Capacity building.

This 11th Ordinary Session was also marked by the adoption of the Abidjan Declaration.