Private Sector Partnerships for a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Western Indian Ocean

This briefing examines the challenges and opportunities for private sector partnerships aimed at achieving a sustainable Blue Economy in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region. It draws on the development of the Strategic Framework for Private Sector Partnership for the Western Indian Ocean Region, produced by the Nairobi Convention Secretariat, to argue that partnerships must move beyond viewing the private sector as a mere funding source and instead leverage technical expertise and mutual benefit to improve ocean governance.

• Private sector partnerships for ocean governance in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) have frequently yielded disappointing results due to several systemic issues: the private sector is often viewed only as a source of funding, their specific interests are neglected during design and implementation, there is a lack of common goals among stakeholders, and a general lack of trust inhibits collaboration.
• To be effective, partnerships must be designed with specific objectives and mutual benefits, recognizing that the private sector is not a homogenous group. It encompasses a wide range of actors, from multimillion-dollar offshore oil and gas investments to micro-enterprises, with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) forming the backbone of Africa's economy by accounting for approximately 90% of companies and nearly 80% of employment.
• The Strategic Framework emphasizes that private sector engagement should extend beyond financial contributions to include the mobilization of technical expertise, human resources, and managerial resources to scale up innovative approaches for sustainability.
• The private sector can contribute to ocean governance through various roles, including providing in-kind staff or equipment, sharing data and best practice guidelines, implementing demonstration projects, advocating for policy change, and enhancing accountability in areas where regulation is weak.
• The Strategic Framework proposes several priority partnerships for the WIO region, including a regional alliance for sustainable octopus utilisation, a sustainable tourism council for a regional marine ecotourism brand, a coordination centre for marine pollution preparedness and response, and a partnership for ocean accounting frameworks.
• There is a recognized need for a regional platform to facilitate innovation and partnership between government, the private sector, and civil society in the WIO region. While the Consortium for the Conservation of the Coastal and Marine Ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO-C) is suggested as a potential model, further research into feasibility, governance, and financing is required before such a platform is established.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2021). Private Sector Partnerships for a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Western Indian Ocean. https://saiia.org.za/research/private-sector-partnerships-for-a-sustainable-blue-economy-in-the-western-indian-ocean/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Private Sector Partnerships for a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Western Indian Ocean. 2021. https://saiia.org.za/research/private-sector-partnerships-for-a-sustainable-blue-economy-in-the-western-indian-ocean/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Private Sector Partnerships for a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Western Indian Ocean |date=13 July 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/private-sector-partnerships-for-a-sustainable-blue-economy-in-the-western-indian-ocean/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2021private, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Private Sector Partnerships for a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Western Indian Ocean}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = jul, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/private-sector-partnerships-for-a-sustainable-blue-economy-in-the-western-indian-ocean/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }