Abstract:
In Agenda 2063 the African Union (AU) prioritised the utilisation of the resources
in oceans as the new frontier of its blue economy. Africa’s ”inland waterways”
were added to the scope of the blue economy in the 2050 AIM Strategy. Most of
Africa’s marine ecosystems and large water spaces are shared by different countries
which requires the transcendence of national interests, the harmonisation of
national and regional policies and multi stakeholder participation in strong
institutions guided by a legal framework. The protection, securitisation and
sustainable utilisation of blue spaces are key pillars for the governance of the
blue economy. The first part focuses on the contribution of Africa’s blue spaces
to the development of the continent, the growing challenges to these spaces in
the twenty‐first century and UNCLOS’ legal zoning of oceans to manage their
protection and utilisation. The second part focuses on the governance of Africa’s
blue economy and the security challenges to Africa’s oceans. The last part
focuses on the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) and finds
the Benguela Current Commission (BCC) to be legitimate, accountable and its
policies adaptive and guided by human needs, ecosystem sustainability, and long‐
term economic growth.
