The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has resumed efforts to finalise its long-delayed Regional Blue Economy Strategy, beginning with a high-level consultative workshop held Monday in Abuja.
The strategy, which has been pending since its initial drafting in 2022, aims to harness the potential of marine and water resources for sustainable economic growth across the region. It covers key areas such as fisheries, aquaculture, maritime transport, ocean conservation, and climate adaptation.
The draft was originally prepared under the Programme for Improved Regional Fisheries Governance in Western Africa (PESCAO)but stalled due to administrative delays.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the outgoing ECOWAS Director of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alain Traoré, the organisation’s Programme Officer for Fishery Development and Focal Person for Blue Economy, Djiga Thiao, welcomed participants and emphasised the need for harmonised policies across sectors.
Marine and water resources are at the crossroads of many sectors, fisheries, aquaculture, shipping, especially in the context of climate change and sustainable livelihoods,Thiao said.That’s why we need a blue economy strategy. It is highly important for ECOWAS to have a regional one.
Thiao acknowledged the delay but reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to seeing the initiative through. We had a draft since 2022 that was pending after the PESCAO project.
Unfortunately, it stayed that way,he said.But this blue economy strategy remains a big priority. Institutions remain, even when people leave.
The African Union Commission (AUC) and its InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) pledged continued support. Speaking virtually on behalf of Hassan Nyambe, Director of the AUC’s Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy Division, Linda Etta, said the initiative would help ensure “policy harmonisation, shared best practices, and investment mobilisation across our region. Similarly, AU-IBAR’s Blue Economy Expert, Dr. Mohammed Seisay, stressed that the continental body was committed to supporting both national and regional strategies.
We started by helping four countries, then supported another 11. We also helped Burkina Faso develop its national blue economy strategy, Seisay explained. his support to ECOWAS is both timely and critical.
The Abuja workshop brought together officials from ECOWAS member states, the African Union, AU-IBAR, the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea, and technical experts. The goal is to review and validate the 2022 draft before moving to final adoption.
Stakeholders stressed the shared responsibility of ensuring success. If we succeed, it will be our collective success. If we fail, we will fail together. With West Africa’s marine and coastal resources under increasing pressure from climate change, overfishing, and unregulated exploitation, leaders at the meeting described the strategy as vital for the region’s long-term resilience and sustainable growth.
