Cynthia Ezegwu
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has revived efforts to finalise its long-delayed Regional Blue Economy Strategy, beginning with a high-level consultative workshop in Abuja on Monday.
The session brought together representatives of ECOWAS member states, regional organisations, and continental institutions to review and validate the draft strategy, which had remained dormant since its development in 2022 under the Programme for Improved Regional Fisheries Governance in Western Africa (PESCAO).
The blue economy, which spans marine resources, aquaculture, maritime transport, ocean conservation, and climate resilience, is viewed as a key driver of sustainable growth across West Africa.
Speaking on behalf of the outgoing Director of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alain Traoré, ECOWAS Programme Officer for Fishery Development, Djiga Thiao, emphasised the urgency of regional cooperation on marine resources.
“You know that marine resources and water resources are the crossroads of many sectors—fisheries, aquaculture, shipping—also in the context of climate change and sustainable livelihoods. That’s why we need harmonised and guiding policies to get the best benefit from these resources,” he said.
Thiao acknowledged the delay in advancing the draft strategy since 2022, but stressed that it remains a high priority. “This blue economy strategy will still be a big priority for the new director and commissioner who are coming. And that’s why we are fully committed to making this process of review and validation very successful.”
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He urged participants to see the process as a collective responsibility, saying: “If we get success, it will be our success together. But if we fail, we will fail together.”
The African Union (AU) expressed strong support for the initiative. Speaking virtually on behalf of Hassan Nyambe, Director of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy at the AU Commission, Advisor Linda Etta noted that “initiatives like the ECOWAS regional blue economy strategy are critical to ensuring policy harmonisation, shared best practices, and investment mobilisation across our region.”
AU-IBAR Blue Economy Expert, Dr Mohammed Seisay, added that the AU had already supported several member states, including Burkina Faso, to develop national strategies, and would continue backing regional economic communities like ECOWAS.
The Abuja workshop was attended by delegates from ECOWAS member states, the AU, AU-IBAR, the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea, and technical experts tasked with completing the draft.