Promoting the African ocean agenda

African voices at UNOC 2025

Just over 70 percent of all African countries border the ocean, creating a 26,000 nm coastline and a 13 million km² of Exclusive Economic Zone (according to a report published by the Institute of Security Studies in 2021). As a continent, this may not be the longest coastline or largest EEZ, but Africa’s desire to capitalise the opportunities presented by the Blue Economy should be seen as a critical strategy to improve the continent’s economic and social outlook.

So, it’s equally as critical to ensure that the African voice and distinctive development goals are heard at next week’s UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France.

Hosting a side event at the first Ocean Conference in 2022, the African Union aimed to amplify the continent’s progress in harnessing its blue economy potential and engaging with the targets of SDG14 and Agenda 2063. 

In the context of this year’s UN Oceans Conference (UNOC3), the African Union is organising a side event focusing on “Accelerating Action to meet Africa's Sustainable Blue Economy Aspirations”. The objective of the session is to create a platform for African stakeholders and partners to reflect on sustainable blue economy development on the continent and to agree on actions that will amplify progress in harnessing Africa’s blue economy potential with a clear Call for Action that articulates Africa’s collective commitment to developing her blue economy in a sustainable and equitable way.

A focus on agreeing on actions that will amplify progress in harnessing Africa’s blue economy potential with a clear Call for Action that articulates Africa’s collective commitment to developing her blue economy in a sustainable and equitable way.

The side event is co-organised by the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), in collaboration with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Southern African Development Community, and the Inter-African Bureau on Animal Resources (AU-IBAR). The side event will include major stakeholders driving continental, regional and national action in Africa to discuss Africa’s sustainable blue economy development needs, aspirations and achievements, and will identify areas of intervention and partnerships that can be accelerated through tangible ocean actions.  

The South African-registered NPO, WildTrust is also hosting three sessions over the course of next week and there are several other Afri-centric sessions dotted across the programme. Jostling for attention within a full line-up of events and side-events, all organisers of African-related sessions, however, would have done well to provide a more co-ordinated approach to publicising and reporting on these initiatives in a more cohesive way.

A need for a coordinated African voice

Speaking at the opening of the high-level preparatory workshop for the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC-3) recently, Morocco’s Secretary of State for Maritime Fisheries, Zakia Driouich, stressed the need for a strong, coordinated African voice at the discussions.

She urged African states to present a united voice called for the promotion of African initiatives in ocean governance, the mobilisation of blue financing, and the strengthening of North-South, South-South, and triangular partnerships. She also emphasised the importance of involving youth and civil society in these efforts.

Last week the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) hosted a pre-UNOC day of discussions in Durban where the focus was on ocean pollution and maritime decarbonisation. Co-hosted with the French Embassy in South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi and the City of Durban, this was the second in a series of ocean protection events to discuss Southern African priorities, marine plastic pollution and the region’s role in shaping sustainable maritime futures.

With many of the speakers and delegates preparing to leave for the next week’s dialogues in France, the overall sentiment on the day centred around how South Africa and Africa should be positioning itself within the global realities associated with meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

Participating in a panel on strategies to integrate the South and Southern African vision into the UNOC III framework, Ambassador of France in South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi, David Martinon, noted that the challenge is to ensure that the ocean remains at the heart of global solutions going forward.

“This is a defining moment for the ocean."

Emphasising the need to position science as a central driver next week, he encouraged stakeholders to view the conference as an opportunity to deliver measurable objectives. “This is a defining moment for the ocean,” he said, adding that UNOC deliberations should not just be “another conference”.

With the need to include all voices, he also rallied for a need to strengthen Africa’s input. “The voices of South and Southern Africa must be central,” he said as he called on South Africa and others to ratify the High Seas Treaty “as soon as possible”.

Summarising his points, he highlighted the need for a global plastics treaty and expressed support for ambitions for net zero maritime transport targets. “Post UNOC III we will follow-up to strategise how South Africa and France can cooperate on ocean solutions. This is not the end of the process,” he concluded emphasising the need to hold leaders accountable.

AFRICA ON THE PROGRAMME AT UNOC III

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