There is an enormous untapped opportunity to develop Africa’s maritime, or blue, economy, which in turn will help reduce poverty; create employment, growth and exports; and strengthen food and energy security. However, a number of challenges have held back progress.
Recent initiatives by a growing number of African countries, the African Union and multilateral development partners, have made slow but important progress.
Several further steps are also needed, including strengthening African maritime security and coastal protection, developing national blue economy strategies, accelerating training, raising private sector awareness of blue economy opportunities and sharing emerging good practices more widely. New catalysts are also needed to spur renewed momentum and more intensive, collaborative action among African stakeholders in the blue economy
