Opening the session, the Director of Political Affairs, Dr. Babatunde Afolabi, emphasized that the Brown Bag Seminar initiative serves as an important platform for strengthening institutional knowledge-sharing on emerging regional issues. He noted that the initiative bridges the gap between academic scholarship and policy practice by fostering informed dialogue among ECOWAS staff and stakeholders.
Dr. Afolabi further highlighted the growing presence of external actors and foreign interests operating under the guise of development partnerships. While acknowledging that such engagements can generate employment opportunities and support infrastructure development, he cautioned that they could also become exploitative if West African countries fail to adopt a clear, coordinated strategy to protect their sovereign maritime resources and strategic interests.
Delivering the keynote presentation, Dr. Seiyefa Ebimboere, Acting Head of the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy at Baze University, Abuja, provided a comprehensive historical analysis of the blue economy in West Africa, spanning the pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial periods. Her presentation examined maritime power dynamics, shipping, seaports, and the strategic importance of maritime spaces in advancing political, economic, and military interests.
Dr. Ebimboere also highlighted key challenges confronting the sector, including illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the activities of distant-water fishing fleets, marine pollution through toxic waste disposal, and inadequate aquaculture storage infrastructure. She underscored the vast untapped economic opportunities within the blue economy, noting that both coastal and landlocked Member States stand to benefit from stronger regional cooperation and sustainable management of maritime resources.
The seminar brought together participants from various directorates at the ECOWAS Commission, ECOWAS developmental partners and representatives of civil society organizations, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas across sectors. Discussions encouraged participants to explore practical approaches for strengthening regional security, governance, and policy coordination while leveraging the strategic potential of the blue economy to promote sustainable development across West Africa.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
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