Programme - overview

Name: OPERA Annual Workshop 2026
Start: 2026-10-12T09:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-10-16T18:00:00+01:00

OPERA Annual Workshop 2026 Draft Programme

12-16 October 2026

All times shown are UTC+1

Dates

Oct 12Oct 13Oct 14Oct 15Oct 16

OPENING SESSION

LUNCH

Networking Break

SESSION #2 - OPERA PROJECT

Oct 12, 2026

2:00 PM2:15 PM

Mercator Ocean International & OceanPrediction DCC

Keynote presentation

EAF

Enrique ALVAREZ FANJUL

Mercator Ocean internationalOceanPrediction DCC technical coordinator

Oct 12, 2026

2:15 PM2:30 PM

Ocean Prediction Enhancement in Regions of Africa - OPERA

Keynote presentation

Lillian DIARRA

Mercator Ocean InternationalOPERA project manager

Oct 12, 2026

2:30 PM3:30 PM

Panel Discussion

Panelists representing: IOC Africa, AUC, GOOS Africa, ECOP Africa, European Commission, OPDCC African Regional Team

TEA BREAK

Oct 12, 2026

3:30 PM4:00 PM

Networking

SESSION #3 - GOOS AFRICA

Oct 12, 2026

4:00 PM5:30 PM

Presentation of GOOS Africa

Program TBD

SOCIAL DINER

Oct 12, 2026

7:00 PM10:00 PM

Networking Event

SESSION #4 - OCEAN FORECASTING SYSTEMS

Oct 13, 2026

9:00 AM9:40 AM

Presentation of OPERA ocean forecasting system developments

Oct 13, 2026

9:40 AM10:20 AM

African EU dialogue on ocean forecasting with OceanPrediction African DCC team

Technical partner NOW Systems

Oct 13, 2026

10:20 AM10:30 AM

Q & A

TEA BREAK

Oct 13, 2026

10:30 AM11:00 AM

Networking

SESSION #5 - APPLICATIONS

Oct 13, 2026

11:00 AM11:45 AM

Presentation of OPERA Application consortia and selected applications

TBC

Oct 13, 2026

11:45 AM12:30 PM

Roundtable discussion on ocean information services and applications

LUNCH

Oct 13, 2026

12:30 PM2:00 PM

Networking Break

SESSION #6 - CAPACITY STRENGHTENING

Oct 13, 2026

2:00 PM2:30 PM

Overview of Capacity strengthening in OPERA

Oct 13, 2026

2:30 PM3:00 PM

Overview workshop

by Capacity Development Team / CIPMA

Oct 13, 2026

3:00 PM3:30 PM

Presentations on GGOSSS outcomes

Oct 13, 2026

3:30 PM4:00 PM

Networking Tea Break

Oct 13, 2026

4:00 PM4:30 PM

ECOPs panel discussion

Oct 13, 2026

4:30 PM5:00 PM

Panel discussion around capacity development

SESSION #7 - USER & STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

Oct 14, 2026

9:00 AM9:30 AM

Presentation on OPERA activities

Oct 14, 2026

9:30 AM10:00 AM

Panel discussion - private sector/civil society, maritime sectors

SESSION #8 - SCIENCE TO POLICY

Oct 14, 2026

10:00 AM10:30 AM

Round table with IOC Africa, AUC, DCC regional team, Abidjan/Nairobi convention, policymakers

TEA BREAK

Oct 14, 2026

10:30 AM11:00 AM

Networking

SESSION #9 - SYNERGIES WITH OTHER PROGRAMMES & INITIATIVES

Oct 14, 2026

11:00 AM11:15 AM

Flash presentations on programmes

Oct 14, 2026

11:15 AM11:45 AM

Roundtable with WIOMSA, IUCN regional office, WACA, WASOP (tbc), Arc X community

UNDERSTANDING DITTO & DEFINING AFRICA's PRIORITIES

Oct 15, 2026

8:30 AM9:00 AM

Welcome Coffee

Oct 15, 2026

9:00 AM9:30 AM

Opening session

Welcome remarks from the host country, African Union, IOC-UNESCO, and DITTO Global leadership. Review of the workshop's vision.

Oct 15, 2026

9:30 AM10:15 AM

#1 - What is DITTO?

Global vision, foundational principles of the Ocean Decade, and lessons learned from early global implementation.

Oct 15, 2026

10:15 AM11:00 AM

#2 - Building a Digital Twin

Technical overview: observations, data streams, numerical models, AI/ML, visualization tools, and basic governance needs.

Oct 15, 2026

11:00 AM11:15 AM

Coffee Break & Networking

Oct 15, 2026

11:15 AM12:15 PM

#3 - Africa's Current Landscape

Present the results from OPERA scoping study on data infrastructures and DTO initiatives in Africa and OPERA's plans for the African DTO

Oct 15, 2026

12:15 PM12:30 PM

Breakout Introduction

Briefing on methodology, group assignments, and expected outcomes for the afternoon sessions.

Oct 15, 2026

12:30 PM1:30 PM

Lunch Break

Oct 15, 2026

1:30 PM3:30 PM

Breakout Sessions: Part 1

Focus: Assessment & Prioritization - Group 1: Identify priority challenges and use cases. - Group 2: Inventory data and identify gaps. - Group 3: Map regional institutions and roles. - Group...

Oct 15, 2026

3:30 PM4:00 PM

Coffee Break

Oct 15, 2026

4:00 PM5:00 PM

Plenary Report-Back

Oct 15, 2026

7:00 PM9:00 PM

Social dinner

Networking event

DESIGNING THE AFRICAN DITTO IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Oct 16, 2026

8:30 AM9:00 AM

Welcome Coffee

Oct 16, 2026

9:00 AM9:15 AM

Day 1 Recap and Day 2 Goals

Synthesis of Day 1 consensus and transition into the implementation planning phase.

Oct 16, 2026

9:15 AM10:00 AM

#4 - Technical Architecture

Deep dive into interoperability standards, FAIR data principles, and building sovereign, inclusive infrastructure.

Oct 16, 2026

10:00 AM10:45 AM

#5 - Governance Models

Exploring international examples of digital ocean governance, data sovereignty, and institutional partnerships.

Oct 16, 2026

10:45 AM11:15 AM

Coffee Break

Oct 16, 2026

11:15 AM12:00 PM

#6 - Funding & Sustainability

Strategies for resource mobilization, private-sector partnerships, and sustained investment.

Oct 16, 2026

12:00 PM1:00 PM

Lunch Break

Oct 16, 2026

1:00 PM3:00 PM

Breakout Sessions: Part 2

Focus: Design & Roadmapping - Group 1: Develop 3–5 pilot project concepts. - Group 2: Draft foundational guidelines for the technical architecture roadmap. - Group 3: Propose an interim...

Oct 16, 2026

3:00 PM3:30 PM

Coffee Break

Oct 16, 2026

3:30 PM4:30 PM

#7 - Integration

Presentation of Day 2 outputs. Live synthesis of breakout outputs to outline the foundational draft of the African DITTO Implementation Framework.

Oct 16, 2026

4:30 PM5:00 PM

Closing Session

Agreement on post-workshop task assignments, outlining the initial partnership plan, and closing remarks.

Oct 12, 2026

11:00 AM11:15 AM

Welcome by University of Abomey-Calavi - UAC

Oct 12, 2026

11:15 AM11:30 AM

Keynote Ministry of Environment

TBC

Oct 12, 2026

11:30 AM11:45 AM

Keynote Prefet Maritime

TBC

Oct 12, 2026

11:45 AM12:00 PM

UNESCO International Chair in Mathematical Physics and Applications - ICPMA

Benin Institute of Fisheries and Oceanographic Research - IRHOB

Keynote presentation

Christian ADJÉ

IRHOB - Institut de Recherches Halieutique et Océanologique du BéninChercheur-Océanographe / Reseacher

Oct 12, 2026

12:15 PM12:30 PM

Benin Environment & Education Society - BEES

Keynote Presentation

Maximin DJONDO

BEESDirector

Programme - overview

Welcome by University of Abomey-Calavi - UAC

Keynote Ministry of Environment

Keynote Prefet Maritime

UNESCO International Chair in Mathematical Physics and Applications - ICPMA

Benin Institute of Fisheries and Oceanographic Research - IRHOB

Benin Environment & Education Society - BEES

Networking Break

Mercator Ocean International & OceanPrediction DCC

Ocean Prediction Enhancement in Regions of Africa - OPERA

Panel Discussion

Networking

Presentation of GOOS Africa

Networking Event

Presentation of OPERA ocean forecasting system developments

African EU dialogue on ocean forecasting with OceanPrediction African DCC team

Q & A

Networking

Presentation of OPERA Application consortia and selected applications

Roundtable discussion on ocean information services and applications

Networking Break

Overview of Capacity strengthening in OPERA

Overview workshop

Presentations on GGOSSS outcomes

Networking Tea Break

ECOPs panel discussion

Panel discussion around capacity development

Presentation on OPERA activities

Panel discussion - private sector/civil society, maritime sectors

Round table with IOC Africa, AUC, DCC regional team, Abidjan/Nairobi convention, policymakers

Networking

Flash presentations on programmes

Roundtable with WIOMSA, IUCN regional office, WACA, WASOP (tbc), Arc X community

Welcome Coffee

Opening session

#1 - What is DITTO?

#2 - Building a Digital Twin

Coffee Break & Networking

#3 - Africa's Current Landscape

Breakout Introduction

Lunch Break

Breakout Sessions: Part 1

Coffee Break

Plenary Report-Back

Social dinner

Welcome Coffee

Day 1 Recap and Day 2 Goals

#4 - Technical Architecture

#5 - Governance Models

Coffee Break

#6 - Funding & Sustainability

Lunch Break

Breakout Sessions: Part 2

Coffee Break

#7 - Integration

Closing Session

Welcome by University of Abomey-Calavi - UAC

Keynote Ministry of Environment

Keynote Prefet Maritime

UNESCO International Chair in Mathematical Physics and Applications - ICPMA

Benin Institute of Fisheries and Oceanographic Research - IRHOB

Benin Environment & Education Society - BEES

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