Blue Economy

The Blue Economy describes the sustainable use and conservation of aquatic resources in both marine and freshwater environments. This includes oceans and seas, coastlines and banks, lakes, rivers and groundwater. It comprises activities that exploit aquatic resources (fisheries, mining, petroleum, biotechnologies, etc.) or use aquatic environments (maritime transport, coastal tourism, etc.), once they are done in an integrated, fair and circular manner. These activities help to improve the health of aquatic ecosystems by establishing protective and restorative measures. 

The Sub-Regional Office for Eastern Africa (SRO-EA), through its Cluster on Sub-Regional Initiatives, provides policy and technical support to governments and regional organizations working towards a thriving and sustainable Blue Economy in Eastern Africa. In 2016, SRO-EA led the production of the Blue Economy Policy Handbook for Africa, an essential tool for developing strategic policy frameworks for the sustainable use and management of aquatic resources. The Handbook’s methodology has been leveraged for the Blue Economy strategies in Comoros, Madagascar, Seychelles, and regionally by the Indian Ocean Commission, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the African Union. 

Most recently, SRO-EA’s support has focused on valuing the full socio-economic and ecological potential of the African Blue Economy. This includes developing a Blue Economy Valuation Toolkit (BEVTK) with an operational manual and testing it in three country contexts: coastal state (Djibouti), land-locked state (Rwanda), and island-state (Seychelles).

 

Fast Facts

• The global ocean economy is worth around US$1.5 trillion each year.
• Eastern African economies earn well over US$10 billion each year from the Blue Economy. We are working to get a better estimate.
• Africa loses $1.3 billion annually to illegal fishing, mainly in West Africa (ODI).
• Leveraging estimates from WWF, Eastern African economies may be losing US$104-260 million each year to illegal fisheries.

 

Research and Publications  

• The Blue Economy
• Blue Economy Policy Handbook for Africa 
• Blue Economy Valuation Toolkit
• L'Évaluation socio-économique et écologique de l’économie bleue à Djibouti
• BEVTK Operational Manual
• Assessment of the Blue Economy Potential in Seychelles
• Blue Economy Satellite Accounts - Part A (Background)

Presentations 

• Blue Economy Valuation Toolkit (Seychelles) – Dr. Philippe Lallemand
• Assessment of Blue Potential in Seychelles – Stuart Laing
• L'Évaluation de l'Économie bleue à Djibouti – Zahra Omar Ahmed
• Blue Economy Satellite Accounts – Raquel Frederick and Dindial Ramrattan

Events

• 23 November 2020 – Expert Group Meeting: Blue Economy Valuation Approaches
• 21 April 2021 – National consultation: Assessing the blue potential in Seychelles
• 18 Mai 2021 – L'atelier national : Le potentiel socio-économique bleu de Djibouti
• [Upcoming] – National consultation: Assessment of the Blue Economy in Rwanda

 

Related Links and Resources

• AU: Africa Blue Economy Strategy and 2050 Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy
• AU-IBAR: Africa Blue Economy Strategy Implementation Plan 2021-2025
• Commission de L’Océan Indien
• ORF/Bolaky: Operationalising Blue Economy in Africa: The Case of South West Indian Ocean

• The Blue Economy–Cultural Livelihood–Ecosystem Conservation Triangle: The African Experience