Commonwealth and Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation launch major ocean protection alliance

Press release

11 March 2026

The Commonwealth Secretariat and Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation today announced a new partnership to accelerate ocean conservation for Commonwealth countries in Asia and the Pacific.

The partnership brings together scientists, political leaders, and economic and civil society stakeholders to galvanise both skills and passion for protecting the ocean.

This collaboration directly advances the goals of the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration. The historic commitment was unanimously adopted at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa in 2024 and was a clarion call for the restoration, protection and sustainable use of our ocean.

Commonwealth Secretary-General, Hon Shirley Botchwey, said:

“This strategic partnership demonstrates that we can bring real-world benefits to people and planet when we unlock opportunities together. The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation will help us strengthen our support to member countries while also deepening our collective investment in ocean conservation.

One-third of the world’s ocean under national jurisdiction lies within the Commonwealth. The need to restore, preserve and protect marine and coastal environments has never been greater. Advancing this work in Asia and the Pacific, regions already deeply affected by sea-level rise, will create a ripple effect across our other three regions.”

The partnership will be implemented through the Commonwealth Blue Charter Project Incubator.

Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Vice-Chairman and CEO Romain Ciarlet, stated:

“The health of our ocean depends on our ability to imagine and build solutions together. The Foundation is proud to support the Commonwealth Blue Charter Incubator, an initiative that helps accelerate the development of impactful projects dedicated to marine protection and sustainable maritime development.

By fostering collaboration and innovation among governments, partners and conservation leaders, this incubator plays a key role in advancing solutions that protect and restore marine ecosystems while ensuring a viable future for all. A commitment that reflects the Foundation’s mission to support collective efforts that drive meaningful and lasting progress for the protection of our global ocean while accelerating a regenerative blue economy transition.”

The Commonwealth Blue Charter Incubator

Through grants of up to £50,000, the Incubator helps Commonwealth countries to develop bold, early-stage ocean conservation projects across five critical priority areas: reducing marine pollution, ecosystem restoration, the blue economy, sustainable fisheries, and the ocean-climate nexus — all in direct alignment with the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration.

Ocean conservation projects throughout the Commonwealth will be financed by the Incubator, with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation specifically targeting its support to projects in Asia and the Pacific.

A central pillar of the initiative is unlocking investment beyond the grant itself, while placing the voices of Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs), youth, and gender-marginalised communities at the heart of ocean governance. Projects are expected to forge powerful on-the-ground partnerships between local communities, civil society organisations, and Commonwealth governments.

The Commonwealth Blue Charter Incubator builds on the success of grants disbursed that financed ocean conservation projects across the Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Americas, and the Pacific.

The next call for Incubator grants will open in the coming quarter, inviting applications from governments across the Commonwealth.