The African Union's blue economy strategy: the case of aquaculture in Guinea-Bissau
Main Article Content
Keywords
Blue economy, African Union, Guinea Bissau, Sustainability, Public Policy
Abstract
What are the African Union’s (AU) strategic guidelines for the Blue Economy? What are the main sectors and their respective action plans? What difficulties could delay this transition?
The objective of this research is to analyse the AU’s Blue Economy Strategy, using a Guinean aquaculture start-up as a case study.
We will begin by identifying the socio-economic impacts of the Blue Economy sectors in Africa, such as (1) ports, (2) fishing, (3) aquaculture, (4) sustainable blue energy, (5) deep-sea mining, (6) oil and gas, and (7) blue carbon.
Next, we will analyse the driving forces behind the transition to the Blue Economy, according to the argumentation defended by the AU, such as Africa’s demographic issue and the problem of energy supply (African Union – Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources, [AU-IBAR], 2020). Similarly, we will also identify the main challenges: economically, logistically, and in terms of security.
References
Implementation Plan, 2021-2025. Nairobi, Kenya.
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. (2016). Africa’s Blue Economy: A policy handbook.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Economic Commission for Africa
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. (2014). Unlocking the full potential of the blue
economy: are African small island developing states ready to embrace the opportunities?.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Economic Commission for Africa.
World Bank. (2016a). Blue Economy Development Framework—Growing the Blue Economy to
Combat Poverty and Accelerate. April. Washington DC: World Bank.
World Bank and United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. (2017). The Potential
of the Blue Economy: Increasing Long-term Benefits of the Sustainable Use of Marine Resources
for Small Island Developing States and Coastal Least Developed Countries. Washington DC.