eNews
#02 2026
Advancing South Africa’s Role in Atlantic Ocean Science: Highlights from AAORIA 2026
By Safiyya Sedick and Nicole du Plessis, SAEON Egagasini Node
Represented by delegates from NRF-SAEON, DSTI and a dynamic group of Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs), South Africa made a strong contribution to the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance (AAORIA) Forum, held in Salvador, Brazil from 13–17 April 2026 that underscored its growing leadership role in shaping collaborative ocean science across the Atlantic Ocean.
A highlight of the forum was the inaugural AAORIA Intergenerational Hackathon, where South African ECOPs, Samkelisiwe Danisa, Zara Prew, Xolani Zondo, Sesethu Jelwana and Natasha Besseling , worked alongside ocean experts to co-develop solutions to ocean challenges from coastal resilience to digital ocean mapping. This showcased local expertise but also strengthened South Africa’s pipeline of emerging ocean leaders.
“The forum was a highly valuable experience, offering a meaningful platform to engage with fellow youth in a collaborative and dynamic environment. As someone often involved in high-level policy discussions, I found this space both refreshing and intellectually stimulating.
Engaging with peers from diverse backgrounds to develop a shared solution was particularly impactful. I look forward to South Africa’s continued meaningful participation in AAORIA and to further aligning our national, regional, and global policy priorities within this initiative” Samkelisiwe Danisa, WILDTRUST
Delegates from NRF-SAEON, DSTI and a dynamic group of Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs).
South Africa’s ECOPs contributed across diverse thematic areas, including digital innovation, sargassum monitoring, ocean literacy, and digital mapping of the Atlantic Ocean. Their participation reflects investment in capacity development and long-term leadership within the global ocean space.
“Southern Africa hasn’t met Sargassum yet, but AAORIA made one thing clear: fortune is not a strategy. Being part of the Sargassum Hackathon to design a prediction tool for diverse stakeholders left me confident that, should a bloom reach our shores, we will be drawing on a tested playbook rather than scrambling to write one” Xolani Zondo, University of South Africa
SAEON co-hosted a side-event, with Plymouth Marine Laboratory, titled From Pixels to Policy: Unlocking the African Atlantic Ocean’s Benthic Biodiversity Data. SAEON scientist Dr Lara Atkinson and international experts Dr Kerry Howell, Plymouth Marine Laboratory (UK), Prof Angel Perez, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (Brazil), Prof. Edem Mahu, University of Ghana (Ghana) and Mr Eric King, Schmidt Ocean Institute (USA), came together to address a critical challenge – transforming vast amounts of seabed imagery into usable, standardised data for policy and planning. Discussions highlighted the urgent need for coordinated approaches to ensure that emerging data can inform meaningful conservation and management decisions.
During the main Forum sessions, Nicole du Plessis, Kogie Govender, Jethan d’Hotman and Jean-Jacques Forgus contributed to key discussions on ocean literacy, observation technologies, and inclusive ocean economies. A recurring message was the importance of locally grounded, co-designed approaches, particularly in initiatives like the Blue Schools programme, which ensure that ocean knowledge is accessible, relevant, and socially inclusive.
The Forum also reinforced South Africa’s strategic positioning as a regional hub for Atlantic Ocean research. With growing expertise, and strong international partnerships, the country is well placed to advance African priorities within AAORIA frameworks.
“Participating in the All-Atlantic Intergenerational Hackathon and Forum was an intense but incredibly rewarding experience. The hackathon created a valuable space to work with like-minded people from different backgrounds and perspectives, and to think creatively and practically about solutions for coastal and ocean challenges. I also really appreciated AAORIA’s intentional inclusion of Early Career Ocean Professionals alongside senior professionals, as those intergenerational and international exchanges added real depth to the experience.
The two days of the forum were equally inspiring. It was exciting to see the range of projects and research happening across different regions, all driven by a shared commitment to the ocean. Hearing about the work being done around the world, making new connections, and learning from such a diverse group of people left me with a great deal to reflect on and take forward” Sesethu Jelwana, Ocean Hub Africa.
Kogie Govender during a panel discussion: ocean literacy and broadening engagement.
SAEON scientist Dr Lara Atkinson speaking at a SAEON co-hosted event,with Plymouth Marine Laboratory, titled From Pixels to Policy: Unlocking the African Atlantic Ocean’s Benthic Biodiversity Data.
Nicole du Plessis during a panel discussion on inclusive ocean economies.
Looking ahead, several opportunities have been identified to strengthen South Africa’s engagement. These include aligning national research priorities with a proposed AAORIA funding call, expanding participation in coastal beacon site networks and advancing skills exchange programmes.
As preparations begin for the 2027 Forum in the United Kingdom, early engagement will be key to ensuring that South African and broader Global South perspectives continue to help shape the All-Atlantic agenda.
“The hackathon was an intensively yet highly rewarding experience for me, bringing together a diverse group of ECOPs and LCOPs from across the Atlantic to collaborate closely under tight time constraints. I found the process both challenging and energising, as we worked at full capacity to develop solutions within a short timeframe. Beyond the works itself, what stood out most was the strong sense of connection as I made meaningful friendships and built relationships that I hope will continue well beyond the hackathon” Zara Prew, University of Cape Town
The 2026 AAORIA Forum demonstrated that through collaboration we can move beyond dialogue toward tangible, shared solutions for the future of the ocean.
