The Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) participated in the Regional Stakeholders’ Consultation Workshop for the Regional Blue Economy Strategy of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) organised by the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), in collaboration with ECOWAS and with support from the Kingdom of Norway, from 29 September to 1 October 2025 at Abuja, Nigeria. The regional consultation workshop was organised to enhance awareness and promote regional ownership of the revised ECOWAS Blue Economy Strategy, and to ensure its alignment with the Africa Blue Economy Strategy (ABES).
The workshop’s participants included 35 delegates drawn from ECOWAS Member States, technical experts, non-state actors, and other regional stakeholders who jointly reviewed the draft regional strategy document, shared national experiences and perspectives, and explored how best to align ECOWAS priorities with the five pillars of the ABES: sustainable fisheries and aquaculture; maritime security, and coastal tourism to governance, job creation, and innovative financing.
The three-day workshop was part of a continent-wide effort to consolidate national and regional frameworks under a coherent African blue economy vision. With support from the Kingdom of Norway, AU-IBAR has already facilitated the development of regional blue economy strategies for five other Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and provided technical assistance to 11 African Union Member States. The ECOWAS Commission engaged AU-IBAR to lead this participatory consultation process to review and update its regional blue economy strategy, and align it with the ABES, endorsed by the Africa Union in 2019.
By the end of the workshop, consensus had been reached on key elements of the updated strategy, with strong emphasis placed on cross-sectoral governance, inclusive implementation mechanisms, and investment mobilisation. The key outcomes of the workshop are a strengthened sense of ownership among stakeholders, incorporation of regional perspectives and priorities into the revised strategy, and consensus on its alignment with continental and global blue economy instruments.
The FCWC reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the implementation of the regional blue economy strategy and will continue to engage through its Strategic Action Plan 2021–2030 to promote coordinated development of coastal and marine resources in the West Central Gulf of Guinea.
The blue economy holds significant promise for sustainable economic growth, job creation, climate resilience, and the protection of marine and coastal ecosystems in West Africa. The revised strategy is expected to guide Member States in leveraging their blue economy potential to enhance food security, foster socio-economic resilience, and support regional integration efforts.
