The blue economy

Abstract

In this report, the Blue Economy covers all bodies of water, including lakes and rivers, in addition to seas, coasts and oceans. It thus includes land-locked States in, for example, the Great Lakes Region. The main sectors of the Blue Economy are traditional sectors such as fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, transport, and ports, as well as emerging sectors such as renewable energy and deep sea mining. These sectors do not function in isolation. This report highlights the importance of traditional and newly emerging Blue Economy sectors and the issues involved in their effective development in Eastern Africa. It also provides a deeper understanding of their potential, as well as the geopolitical dimensions associated with their access and management, and reviews potential climate-change impacts on the Blue Economy and sustainable natural-resource management in the region. The report further provides reflections on the necessary actions to build the foundations and enabling environment for a thriving Blue Economy in the Eastern Africa. It serves as a building block for further development of policies to support the Blue Economy.