The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden

What The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden does

PERSGA (The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden) is an Intergovernmental Organization established under the Jeddah Convention in 1982 and hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Jeddah. It coordinates marine environmental conservation across seven member states: Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Its mandate is to address overfishing, marine pollution, destruction of sensitive habitats (coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds), and climate change impacts in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden — a corridor carrying roughly 7% of global seaborne trade through the Suez Canal.

PERSGA's core technology stack comprises the KIMS (Knowledge and Information Management System) and RIMS (Regional Integrated Information Management System) platforms, which aggregate standardized data on fisheries, IUU fishing, MPA effectiveness, habitat surveys, water quality, and species conservation across all member states. The EMARSGA Centre in Hurghada, Egypt, provides regional pollution response capability through OILMAP (oil spill trajectory), CHEMMAP (chemical spill), and AIRMAP (air dispersion) modeling systems. The organization delivers a portfolio of multi-donor programs including HESBERSGA ($7.35M GEF-funded blue economy initiative), SFISH (World Bank sustainable fisheries), GloFouling (GEF-UNDP-IMO), SEM, SAP, POPs, and Ballast Water management projects, complemented by an annual Training & Capacity Building program.

PERSGA's revenue model is non-commercial: it is funded by member state contributions and project-based grants from international donors including GEF, UNEP, the World Bank, and IMO, with services delivered to member states and regional stakeholders at no direct cost. Its go-to-market is direct coordination with national environmental and fisheries authorities through National Focal Points, biennial Ministerial Council sessions, expert meetings, and technical missions. The organization is governed by a Ministerial Council of member state representatives and is currently undergoing institutional restructuring for the 2025-2026 biennium under Secretary General Ziad Abu Ghararah.

Name

The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden

Legal name

The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden

Website

https://persga.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PERSGA is an Intergovernmental Organization established under the Jeddah Convention (1982) that coordinates marine environmental conservation across seven Red Sea and Gulf of Aden member states, delivering regional data platforms, pollution response, and donor-funded conservation programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

akta.pro primary industry

Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI), Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE), Environmental Compliance & Pollution Response Coordination (TLAHAFAG)

Keywords

• Marine conservation services
• Fisheries management
• Marine pollution response
• Regional environmental coordination
• Marine biodiversity protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Jeddah

HQ country

Saudi Arabia

HQ region

Middle East

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Member State Contributions: PERSGA receives contributions from its seven member states (Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen) to fund organizational operations and regional initiatives.
2. GEF-IW Project Funding (HESBERSGA): Funding from Global Environment Facility through UNEP for the HESBERSGA project valued at $7.35 million USD with additional $50 million in-kind contribution from member states for a four-year regional initiative.
3. World Bank SFISH Project: Sustainable Fisheries Development project in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden funded by World Bank, supporting fisheries management, IUU fishing combat, and regional capacity building.
4. IMO GEF-UNDP GloFouling Partnerships: Regional project on marine biofouling prevention and management funded by GEF-UNDP-IMO to minimize invasive aquatic species introduction via ship hulls.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PERSGA coordinates regional marine environmental conservation across seven member states in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, delivering collective strategies for marine protected area management, sustainable fisheries, marine pollution emergency response, and capacity building. Core offerings center on the EMARSGA Centre for mutual aid pollution response, the KIMS and RIMS information platforms, and regionally funded projects targeting biodiversity, fisheries, and pollution control.

Product overview

PERSGA operates as an Intergovernmental Organization managing a portfolio of conservation programs and digital platforms. The core offerings include the PERSGA KIMS (Knowledge and Information Management System) and RIMS (Regional Integrated Information Management System) for data collection and knowledge sharing, supported by the EMARSGA Centre providing pollution modeling services (OILMAP, CHEMMAP, AIRMAP). The organization delivers multiple regional programs including HESBERSGA (Blue Economy), SFISH (Sustainable Fisheries), GloFouling, SEM, SAP, POPs, and Ballast Water management projects, complemented by annual Training & Capacity Building Programs for member states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EMARSGA Centre (Emergency Mutual Aid System) Regional mutual aid service that coordinates marine pollution emergency response across PERSGA's seven member states, providing oil and chemical spill modeling and preparedness support to national agencies.
• KIMS (Knowledge and Information Management System) Centralized knowledge and information platform that consolidates regional marine and environmental data for member states, researchers, and partner organizations.
• RIMS (Regional Integrated Information Management System) Integrated regional information management system that supports coordinated marine environmental data sharing, monitoring, and reporting across Red Sea and Gulf of Aden member states.
• Regional Training and Capacity Building Program Structured training and capacity-building services delivered to national agencies, marine park staff, and partners in marine conservation, fisheries management, and pollution response.
• HESBERSGA Project Regional project focused on biodiversity, ecosystem research, and sustainable development of the Gulf of Aden, delivered in cooperation with member states.
• SFISH Project (Sustainable Fisheries) Regional initiative delivering sustainable fisheries management services, including assessment, policy support, and stakeholder engagement for member states.
• GloFouling Project Project service addressing invasive aquatic species transferred through ship biofouling, supporting implementation of the IMO Biofouling Guidelines in the region.
• SEM Project (Strategic Ecosystem Management) Regional project delivering strategic ecosystem management frameworks for marine and coastal ecosystems in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
• SAP Project (Strategic Action Programme) Programme service supporting development and implementation of a regional Strategic Action Programme for the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
• POPs Project (Persistent Organic Pollutants) Project service assisting member states to identify and reduce releases of persistent organic pollutants under the Stockholm Convention framework.
• Ballast Water Management Project Project service supporting member states in implementing the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention to prevent invasive species transfer in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Quantifiable outcome

• HESBERSGA project to strengthen marine governance and create economic opportunities for coastal communities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026UNEP serves as Implementing Agency for the HESBERSGA project while PERSGA is the Executing Agency. UNEP provides global environmental expertise and coordination for blue economy initiatives.
• King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Expert participation in PERSGA restoration workshop, contributing scientific knowledge for marine habitat restoration in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
• HEPCA (Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Egyptian NGO partner in community-based aquaculture training program, hosting practical sessions at their Education and Scientific Research Support Center.
• Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaboration on Marine Spatial Planning training using MSP Challenge toolkit developed by IOC-UNESCO, European Commission, and Dutch Ministry.
• International Maritime Organization (IMO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021IMO collaborates with PERSGA on MARPOL implementation, GloFouling Partnerships project, marine pollution preparedness, and contingency planning. Provides technical cooperation programme support.
• IOPC Fund (International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaborated on regional workshop on liability and compensation for ship-source pollution, promoting implementation of international oil pollution compensation instruments.
• International Group of P&I Associations (IG)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partner in liability and compensation workshop, supporting capacity building for maritime pollution incident response.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• COBSEA (Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia): UNEP-administered regional seas secretariat coordinating marine environmental protection among East Asian states. Directly comparable regional coordination model, similar pollution-from-shipping focus, and equivalent GEF/UNEP partnership structure.
• OSPAR Commission: Commission for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic under the OSPAR Convention. Comparable as a regional seas IGO with binding conventions, joint monitoring, and coordinated pollution/biodiversity programs across member states.
• CPPS (Permanent Commission for the South Pacific): Regional maritime body coordinating Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru on marine resources. Comparable as a treaty-based intergovernmental body focused on regional ocean governance and coordinated marine environmental management.
• Cartagena Convention Secretariat (UNEP-CEP): Caribbean Environment Programme administering the Cartagena Convention for the Wider Caribbean Region. Comparable as a UNEP-affiliated regional seas secretariat coordinating marine protection, MPAs, and pollution response among multiple sovereign states.
• Nairobi Convention Secretariat: UNEP-administered regional seas secretariat for the Western Indian Ocean covering Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Madagascar, Comoros, and others. Directly comparable as a treaty-based intergovernmental body coordinating marine environmental protection across multiple sovereign states.
• UNEP/MAP (Mediterranean Action Plan): Regional seas programme coordinating 21 Mediterranean countries under the Barcelona Convention. Closest structural analog to PERSGA: treaty-based, multi-country IGO with Barcelona/MEDPOL-style coordinated monitoring, pollution response, and MPA programs.
• HELCOM (Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission): Intergovernmental commission for Baltic Sea states implementing the Helsinki Convention. Comparable as a treaty-based IGO coordinating marine environmental protection, fisheries, and pollution response among multiple sovereign states.
• NOWPAP (Northwest Pacific Action Plan): UNEP regional seas programme coordinating marine environmental protection among China, Japan, Korea, and Russia. Comparable regional seas model with marine pollution monitoring, oil spill preparedness, and joint data management programs.
• SPREP (Pacific Regional Environment Programme): Intergovernmental organization coordinating environmental and ocean management across Pacific Island states. Directly comparable regional marine coordination mandate, similar donor dependence (GEF, Australia, NZ, EU), and equivalent capacity-building program model.

Broad incumbents

• IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): Global conservation union operating in the Red Sea/Gulf of Aden region through Red List assessments, MPA guidance, and marine biodiversity programs. Broader, non-regional IGO whose thematic scope (marine conservation, climate, biodiversity) overlaps heavily with PERSGA's mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PERSGA_media
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC2IUwBolO19qm9myQn6_VEA/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/PERSGA.MC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/persga

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden