A new chapter in Africa’s management of its aquatic resources is taking shape, driven by the landmark Luanda Declaration on the African Blue Economy. The declaration was adopted on July 24, 2026, during the Third Africa Blue Economy Week in Luanda, Angola. This landmark agreement marks a decisive shift from strategic planning to practical implementation, positioning Africa’s vast water-based resources as drivers of economic diversification, environmental sustainability, food security, and regional integration.
Africa’s aquatic wealth is one of its greatest natural assets. More than 38% of African countries are coastal, bordering the Atlantic, Indian, and Southern Oceans. Beyond its coastlines, the continent is home to an extensive network of rivers, lakes, and inland waters covering approximately 305,000 square kilometres. These resources are deeply interconnected, with transboundary river basins draining 64% of Africa’s land area. Despite this abundance, much of Africa’s aquatic wealth remains underutilised, fragmented, and increasingly threatened by environmental degradation, leaving significant opportunities for sustainable economic growth largely untapped.
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The fisheries sector is more than an economic activity; it is essential to the livelihoods and wellbeing of millions of Africans. Fish remains the primary source of animal protein for more than 200 million people across the continent, making the sector critical to nutrition and food security. It also directly supports the livelihoods of nearly 10 million people, while creating additional employment through processing, transportation, trade, and tourism. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), global per capita fish consumption has reached a record 20.5 kg per year, yet consumption in Africa remains below the global average, highlighting a nutritional gap that a stronger and more sustainable fisheries industry could help close.
The Luanda Declaration represents an important shift from policy discussions to implementation, establishing a clear framework for making the blue economy a key driver of sustainable development. It serves as a continental blueprint designed to translate long-standing ambitions into measurable action. Its central objective is to unlock economic opportunities while protecting natural ecosystems and promoting inclusive growth, in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Success will depend on replacing fragmented approaches with coordinated, science-based, and inclusive management of Africa’s aquatic resources.
A major pillar of the declaration is the commitment to mobilise substantial investment through innovative blue finance. By 2027, the strategy aims to unlock more than USD 10 billion in new investments by establishing national and regional blue funds, issuing blue bonds, and expanding debt-for-nature swaps and blended finance mechanisms. This Africa-led financing approach seeks to reduce dependence on external donor funding. The ambition reflects growing global investor interest in sustainable finance, with green, social, and sustainability bond issuance reaching approximately USD 1 trillion in 2021, demonstrating the potential for Africa to attract a greater share of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investment into its ocean economy.
Recognising that long-term economic growth depends on healthy ecosystems, the declaration also sets ambitious conservation targets, including expanding Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to cover at least 30% of aquatic environments. This aligns with the global Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework’s “30×30” target. Priority will be given to protecting mangroves, coral reefs, and wetlands, all of which provide vital ecological and economic benefits. According to the World Bank, every dollar invested in mangrove conservation and restoration generates an estimated four dollars in economic returns through stronger coastal protection, improved fisheries productivity, and carbon sequestration. Mangroves can store significantly more carbon per unit area than terrestrial forests, making them an important natural climate solution.
Combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is another central objective of the declaration. This illegal activity is estimated to cost Africa’s fisheries sector around USD 2 billion each year. The strategy calls for stronger regional cooperation through enhanced maritime surveillance, vessel monitoring systems, and full implementation of the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), the first legally binding international treaty specifically aimed at tackling IUU fishing. The scale of the challenge remains considerable. A 2022 report by the Financial Transparency Coalition estimated that between 2015 and 2020, up to 14 million tonnes of unreported fish were traded globally, with West Africa identified as one of the regions most affected, depriving local communities of both income and food security.
The declaration also broadens the focus beyond traditional fishing by promoting diversified and sustainable blue economy value chains. Priority sectors include sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, green ports, offshore renewable energy such as tidal and wave power, and blue biotechnology. Expanding these industries has the potential to generate millions of new jobs while strengthening climate resilience. Aquaculture presents one of the continent’s greatest opportunities. According to the FAO, aquaculture now provides more than half of all fish consumed worldwide, yet Africa accounts for less than 2% of global production. Closing this gap could significantly improve food security while supporting economic diversification for a population projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050.
To translate these ambitions into measurable progress, the African Union has developed a detailed implementation roadmap covering 2026 to 2030. The plan establishes annual performance indicators and creates a Permanent Ministerial Platform on the Blue Economy to strengthen policy coordination. It also provides for the establishment of an African Blue Economy Scientific Panel to ensure policymaking is guided by reliable scientific evidence, alongside the launch of the State of Africa’s Blue Economy Report 2026 to improve data collection and performance monitoring. The framework will also leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to expand intra-African trade in aquatic products, reduce post-harvest losses—which the FAO estimates can reach as high as 35% in some artisanal fisheries—and encourage greater value addition across the continent.
Inclusion is another defining feature of the declaration. It sets a target of at least 40% participation by women, young people, and local communities in blue economy decision-making processes. This approach seeks to ensure that the benefits of growth are widely shared, particularly among those who already play a central role in the sector. Women, for example, make up the majority of Africa’s post-harvest fisheries workforce, handling much of the processing and trading of fish products. The declaration also reinforces regional cooperation by promoting fair access to sea routes for landlocked countries, ensuring that the benefits of shared water resources support the development aspirations of all African nations.
The significance of the Luanda Declaration extends well beyond the fisheries sector. It positions the blue economy as a key pillar of Africa’s long-term economic and environmental development. By tackling marine pollution through circular economy initiatives that transform plastic waste into valuable resources, while restoring ecosystems that naturally capture carbon, the continent can strengthen climate resilience and create new green industries. Supported by the 2050 Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy, this integrated approach has the potential to deliver far-reaching benefits, from stronger food security and job creation to greater climate resilience and regional trade. If successfully implemented, it could establish Africa as a global leader in sustainable ocean governance while building a more prosperous, resilient, and environmentally responsible future.
