Over 150 participants from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) member states, including representatives from IGAD Member States, the private sector, international organisations, and NGOs, will be attending the 2nd knowledge share fair on the blue economy next week.
The fair is being organised by IGAD with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and under the auspices of the Government of the Republic of Djibouti.
The fair, which will be held in Djibouti from November 26th to 28th this year, under the theme “Investing in Blue Economy for Regional Integration,” is in line with IGAD’s Blue Economy Strategy and Implementation Plan (BESIP).
BESIP is aligned with Africa’s Blue Economy Strategy, and it was adopted by all IGAD Member State Ministers in charge of Blue Economy coordination in April 2022 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The fair aims to promote inclusive and sustainable Blue Economy development in the region and also strengthen regional cooperation and integration by harnessing marine and aquatic resources and services to support food security, socio-economic growth, and poverty reduction in the Horn of Africa and maintain healthy and sustainable ecosystems.
In a press release by IGAD, the three-day event will see exhibitions that will entail presentation of the results of regional projects and dissemination of knowledge products.
There will be sessions that will address themes such as biodiversity, blue tourism, financing the blue economy, and climate change, as well as field visits.
According to the IGAD secretariat, the discussions and exchanges at the fair will be recorded in a report that will serve as a reference for future action on the blue economy development in the region.
IGAD plans to disseminate these best practices in order to advocate for future policy decisions and economic initiatives for sustainable Blue Economy development.
The African Union has identified Blue Economy (BE) development as a priority goal towards achieving the aspiration of a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development within the context of the Africa Union Agenda 2063.
The Africa’s Blue Economy Strategy, launched under the theme “Developing a sustainable blue economy; increasing momentum for Africa’s Blue Growth”, envisions an inclusive and sustainable blue economy that significantly contributes to the continent’s transformation and growth.
With the financial support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), IGAD developed a 5-year Blue Economy strategy (2021–2025) and Implementation Plan (BESIP), aligned with Africa’s Blue Economy strategy and adopted on April 1, 2022.
The vision of IGAD’s Blue Economy strategy is to develop an inclusive and sustainable Blue Economy that significantly contributes to the Horn of Africa’s transformation and recognises the region’s rich resources from marine and inland water bodies.
Kenya is among member states that form the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). Others are Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, and Eritrea.
By Wangari Ndirangu
