BLUE ECONOMY meets DIPLOMACY – An Innovative approach for African MOFAs and diplomatic communities
1. Africa’s Potential in the 21st Century Blue Economy
The Blue Economy, currently valued at over $1.5 trillion annually globally and expected to double by 2030, encompasses a wide range of economic activities: Management of marine resources, both living and non-living, development of marine renewable energy, port operations, shipbuilding and ship dismantling, maritime transportation, coastal tourism, infrastructure development, robotics, water desalination, and maritime defense are some examples of these activities.
With a vast coastline of over 30,000 kilometers and some of the world’s most strategically located ports, the African continent is a key player in the global maritime and marine landscape. Closely linked to major international shipping routes, Africa offers immense opportunities to harness its maritime potential for economic growth, sustainability and security. With its abundant marine resources, Africa’s engagement in the blue economy is also critical to building resilience, promoting sustainable development and enhancing regional and global trade.
Recognizing the transformative power of the blue economy, the African Union has formulated the Africa Blue Economy Strategy and Agenda 2063, two comprehensive frameworks to guide the sustainable development and use of Africa’s aquatic resources. This strategy encompasses a wide range of initiatives, from promoting sustainable fisheries and aquaculture to developing maritime transport and tourism, while prioritizing environmental sustainability and climate resilience. Several African countries have already developed blue economy initiatives, highlighting the continent’s growing commitment to harnessing its vast marine resources for economic growth, innovation, regional cooperation and social development, while ensuring the long-term health of its marine ecosystems.
2. Towards a competent Blue Economic Diplomacy
A comprehensive vision of the scale and complexity of the African Union’s Blue Economy Strategy and Agenda 2063 can hardly be realized through the traditional form of public diplomacy alone, as employed to date by the capable senior civil servants and diplomatic communities of African countries. This approach involves mainly international cooperation, negotiation and consensus building, mostly between governments. However, the growing importance of the maritime and ocean industries and their global nature should gradually encourage African governments, and especially MOFAs, to develop and deploy “Blue Economic Diplomacy”: An innovative approach that directly aligns traditional public diplomacy with today’s global ocean and maritime business environment and the specific needs of related industries.
Some key actions for the creation of a proficient Blue Economic Diplomacy:
i) Establish a small Maritime/Maritime Affairs Unit within the MOFA
ii) Strengthen selected diplomatic missions abroad with officials trained in the Blue Economy
iii) Design a comprehensive Blue Agenda that serves both the national vision and the needs of the ever-growing and global maritime and marine industry, with the aim of:
– Facilitating the resolution of disputes between domestic and international stakeholders and reducing costs and reputational damage
– Opening new international markets for the industries involved
– Providing competitive intelligence, anticipating threats, implementing risk mitigation strategies
– Facilitating international cooperation in technology transfer, regulatory compliance and exchange of best practices
– Promoting international flagship projects
– Exchanging global best practices
– Attracting foreign investment and supporting access to international capital markets to channel capital for ship acquisition, infrastructure projects and adaptation of green technologies.
– Protecting and promoting the reputation and international standing of their country’s maritime industry
– Advancing the national goal of promoting blue growth around the globe
iv) Educate and train officials, diplomats and policy makers to improve their knowledge of the blue economy and their skills and abilities to represent the maritime industry worldwide.
3. Concluding Remarks
African countries are poised to take advantage of their extensive coastlines and strategic maritime locations to harness the burgeoning opportunities of the blue economy. African governments, and MOFAs in particular, can play an important role in this effort by developing and deploying a comprehensive, coherent and sector-specific Blue Economic Diplomacy that directly links their Blue economy to their traditional foreign policy agenda.
This innovative approach will enable African government officials, the diplomatic community and industry to coordinate meaningful action, thereby strengthening the position of their individual countries and the continent in the increasingly global maritime arena.
About the author
Dr. Mary Papaschinopoulou is the founder and managing director of MARDIPLO S.A., an international pioneer in maritime economic diplomacy.
MARDIPLO Resolve, negotiates complex maritime commercial disputes between the public sector and the maritime industry worldwide.
MARDIPLO Advice, provides consulting services to the maritime industry at large to open new markets and promote public-private partnerships.
MARDIPLO Academy, provides specialized training in maritime economic diplomacy to MOFAs and international organizations, with the aim of equipping young diplomats and government officials with knowledge and negotiation skills in the blue economy.
