Kigali, 12 June 2025 (ECA) – Rwanda marked a significant stride in its sustainable development journey with the successful conclusion of the Validation Workshop of the Blue Economy Assessment.
Held on 11-12 June in Kigali, the event validated the latest assessment of Rwanda’s blue economy resources using the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Blue Economy Valuation Toolkit, and equipped national officers with the skills to independently utilize this tool.
Rwanda's journey in valuing its blue economy began in early 2020, with initial indicative results showing a modest contribution of 2.6% to GDP (excluding farming in wetlands) and 3.5% to the labor force. However, a shortage of comprehensive data hindered further progress. A turning point came in 2019, when the World Bank’s WAVES program supported Rwanda in Natural Capital Accounting of its water and ecosystems, providing a robust data foundation.
Andrew Mold, Director of ECA in Eastern Africa stressed the importance of assessing data availability for a comprehensive economic, social, and environmental valuation.
He said that ECA supports African member states in developing and implementing sustainable blue economy strategies, which includes providing technical assistance, capacity building through tools like the Blue Economy Valuation Toolkit (BEVTK), and fostering regional cooperation to unlock the economic potential of oceans, lakes, and other aquatic resources while ensuring their environmental sustainability.
Following the validation, a dedicated training program on the UNECA Blue Economy Valuation Toolkit was conducted. Participants who successfully completed the training were awarded certificates, signifying their readiness to apply the toolkit independently.
The Rwanda Ministry of Environment expressed its gratitude to ECA for providing this baseline assessment. The toolkit has been successfully installed on the laptops of the trained officers, and the Ministry has committed to its sustained use as an integral tool for policy-making, planning, and evaluation related to Rwanda's blue economy.
The workshop and training gathered 38 participants, including representatives from government ministries, the private sector, civil society organizations, and development partners. The participants stressed the broad national commitment to leveraging Rwanda’s aquatic resources for economic growth and environmental sustainability.
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: eca-info@un.org