Browsing: Africa’s Blue Economy

Despite rising investments in renewables as the world moves to realize net-zero emissions by 2050, the contribution of Africa’s wave energy remains very minimal. The Africa Climate Summit (ACS) was a pivotal platform to explore the potential of tapping oceans, one of Africa’s biggest resources.

With the summit’s overarching theme, “Driving Green Growth & Climate Finance Solutions for Africa and the World,” heightening the urgency to address the climate crisis; harnessing the potential of ocean water for clean energy could accelerate Africa’s journey to net-zero.…

• Zanzibar has entered into a deal with Belgium to attract more tourists to the East African coastal Island.
• The number of tourist arrivals in Tanzania is projected to increase in 2023. The country saw 62.7 per cent jump in new arrivals between January and July last year.
• Tanzania received a total of 100,600 tourists from USA in 2022 followed closely by France that was the source of 100,371 holidaymakers.

Zanzibar’s tourism development initiative under its Blue Economy agenda is starting to pay dividend with the isles setting its sights on attracting tourists from Belgium.

Isle’s President Hussein Mwinyi recently met with Belgium’s Ambassador to Tanzania Peter Huyghebaert, and  unveiled ongoing improvement of infrastructure in Zanzibar to improve tourists’ experience.

President Mwinyi cited infrastructure improvements such as airports and roads, access to power and water as well as the construction of new hotels by the private sector.

“We have been working …

Africa’s blue economy is set to flourish and gain a whole new prominence in 2023, with increased investments lining up to exploit this lucrative but undervalued sector.

One of the major announcements that has signalled an increased interest in the blue economy came out of the twenty-seventh session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt in November 2022. The World Bank announced a Mangrove Blue Carbon Pilot Program, an initiative meant to catalyze financing and provide operational response to developmental challenges in coastal-marine areas of the African continent.

Dubbed the Blue Economy for Resilient Africa Program (BE4RAP), the initiative seeks to respond to the challenge coastal countries face in managing their marine resources, to spur economic growth and reduce poverty, while adapting to the effects of climate change. The program is set to convene a “Focus on Africa Blue Marketplace” in 2023.

Building on the …