Sustainable Ocean Economies in African Small Island Developing States

The document examines the development of sustainable ocean economies (SOE) in six African SIDS, identifying that while legal frameworks are important, they are not the primary determinant for investors. Instead, funding decisions are driven by political will, a track record of marine preservation, and the presence of trusted in-country partners. The briefing highlights the role of innovative financing, such as blue bonds and debt-for-nature swaps, and emphasizes that regulatory reforms should focus on transparency, stakeholder engagement, and co-management to achieve sustainable development goals.

• Investment and funding decisions for a sustainable ocean economy (SOE) in SIDS are primarily determined by five factors: location and environment, political will, a track record of commitment to marine preservation, institutional arrangements for ocean affairs, and the presence of trusted in-country partners.
• While a legal framework is a factor in investment decisions, it is not the primary one, and no single fixed set of laws is required to secure investment. However, certain incentives, such as tax breaks for aquaculture and laws against money laundering and bribery, are common among SIDS that attract funding.
• African SIDS generally prefer a formalised institutional approach to ocean affairs, with four of the six states having dedicated ministries for the blue economy that act as coordination units across multiple sectors.
• There is a significant gap between political commitments to marine protection and actual implementation in African SIDS. While Cabo Verde, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, and Seychelles have committed to the 30x30 global campaign, Cabo Verde, Comoros, Mauritius, and São Tomé and Príncipe have protected less than 1% of their exclusive economic zones (EEZs).
• Innovative financing mechanisms have enabled significant conservation gains; for example, Seychelles increased its protected EEZ from less than 1% in 2015 to 33% following a $21.6 million debt-for-nature swap.
• To ensure that financial flows lead to positive environmental and social outcomes, regulatory frameworks should integrate principles of stakeholder consultation, transparency, co-management of natural resources, adaptive management, cross-sectoral conflict resolution, and policy coherence.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2025). Sustainable Ocean Economies in African Small Island Developing States. https://saiia.org.za/research/sustainable-ocean-economies-in-african-small-island-developing-states/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Sustainable Ocean Economies in African Small Island Developing States. 2025. https://saiia.org.za/research/sustainable-ocean-economies-in-african-small-island-developing-states/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Sustainable Ocean Economies in African Small Island Developing States |date=29 May 2025 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/sustainable-ocean-economies-in-african-small-island-developing-states/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2025sustainable, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Sustainable Ocean Economies in African Small Island Developing States}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2025}, month = may, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/sustainable-ocean-economies-in-african-small-island-developing-states/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }