On 9 September, the new Advanced Course on the Development of coastal communities was launched at CIHEAM Bari, attended by 14 officials and officials of the Ministries of Agriculture and Fisheries of Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Kenya*, Lebanon, Mauritania, Mozambique*, Somalia*, Tunisia (* IORA members).The aim of the course is to strengthen the capacities of the countries involved in the planning and implementation of policies, strategies and integrated management tools of coastal territories, offering a global vision of the Blue Economy and promoting, in the Mediterranean and IORA areas, a vision of development of coastal areas based on a smart and intersectoral approach. Fishing, aquaculture and sustainable coastal development are the main areas of study. The course, the second part of which is held in the Sea Outpost – detached branch of CIHEAM Bari – in Tricase Porto (Le), is the first example of comparison between communities and administrations of the Mediterranean and IORA countries.