Charting Africa’s blue future

The report examines the intersection of Africa's blue economy and the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda, arguing that youth inclusion is essential for sustainable development and maritime security. It identifies climate change, a burgeoning youth population, and coastal migration as critical trends that can either destabilize coastal regions or be harnessed for growth. The document highlights the potential for the blue economy to generate up to US$405 billion by 2030 and provides examples of youth-led initiatives in aquaculture, conservation, and maritime security across various African nations. It concludes that a multidimensional approach, exemplified by the Great Blue Wall initiative, is necessary to build resilience and prevent the radicalization of marginalized youth by providing viable economic alternatives.

• Integrating youth into the blue economy is critical for achieving Agenda 2063, but these efforts must be aligned with the youth, peace and security (YPS) agenda to ensure youth can drive sustainable development in coastal regions.
• Africa's coastal populations are projected to increase significantly, with 143 million people expected to live within 100km of the coast by 2035, driven by migration and demographic trends.
• Climate change is causing sea levels to rise in the Red Sea, Southwest Indian Ocean, and the Atlantic coast of West Africa at nearly 4mm/year, exceeding the global average. By 2030, an estimated 116 million Africans will be exposed to sea-level rise risks.
• Africa is projected to reach its first demographic dividend around 2054, defined as when the ratio of working-age persons to dependents reaches or exceeds 1.7.
• The blue economy in Africa already generates over US$300 billion and provides over 49 million jobs, with the potential to reach US$405 billion by 2030 if long-term demographic and climate trends are managed.
• Youth unemployment and poverty in coastal regions are linked to maritime crime and piracy, but providing alternative livelihoods in the blue economy can mitigate these security threats.
• The fishing industry is the largest blue economy sector in Africa, supporting approximately 13 million people and providing food for around 200 million people.
• The Great Blue Wall (GBW) initiative, launched in 2021, aims to conserve 30% of the ocean by 2030 and achieve a net gain of critical blue ecosystems like mangroves, corals, and seagrasses.
• Specific youth-focused maritime programs have shown success, such as South Africa's National Cadet Programme, which trains over 300 youths annually in engineering and seafaring.

APA

Reva, D., Willima, D., & Liaga, E. A. (2024). Charting Africa’s blue future. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1730273989348-AR-46.pdf

Chicago

Reva, Denys, David Willima, and Emmaculate Asige Liaga. Charting Africa’s blue future. Institute for Security Studies, 2024. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1730273989348-AR-46.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Reva |first1=Denys |last2=Willima |first2=David |last3=Liaga |first3=Emmaculate Asige |title=Charting Africa’s blue future |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=October 2024 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1730273989348-AR-46.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{reva2024charting, author = {Reva, Denys and Willima, David and Liaga, Emmaculate Asige}, title = {{Charting Africa’s blue future}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2024}, month = oct, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1730273989348-AR-46.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }