African leaders have unveiled a new Blue Economy framework aimed at transforming the continent’s maritime and coastal resources into a driver of growth, jobs, climate resilience, and sustainable development.

The framework, launched as part of the Africa Forward Summit declaration signed on May 12, 2026, positions the ocean as a strategic frontier for food security, biodiversity protection, trade, and the global energy transition, while reaffirming Africa’s leadership in shaping maritime governance.

“We recognise the Blue Economy as a strategic frontier for growth, jobs and sustainability. We commit to: a sustainable blue economy grounded in maritime sovereignty, climate resilience, economic transformation, and inclusive prosperity, recognising the ocean as strategic for food security, biodiversity, secure trade corridors, the maritime energy transition, and climate stability,” the summit declaration stated.

Protecting marine ecosystems

Leaders emphasised that Africa’s vast ocean resources must be harnessed in a way that strengthens coastal livelihoods while protecting marine ecosystems.

The declaration also recalls historical cooperation between Africa and France in maritime security, trade, and capacity building, but calls for a shift toward a more balanced model based on reciprocity, co-investment, and shared value creation.

The African leaders stated that they recall the historical Africa-France partnership in maritime security, trade, and capacity building, and commit to evolving it into a forward-looking framework of reciprocity, co-investment, and shared value.

Agenda 2063

According to the declaration, referencing key continental and global frameworks, including the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the Africa Blue Economy Strategy, the Lomé Charter, and France’s National Strategy for the Sea and Coast, the signatories committed to African-led maritime cooperation in line with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.

“Recall further the Africa Blue Economy Strategy, AIMS 2050, Agenda 2063, the Lomé Charter, and France’s National Strategy for the Sea and Coast, we commit to African-led maritime cooperation in conformity with UNCLOS, including the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction,” the summit declaration stated.

The leaders further affirmed that cooperation shall respect national sovereignty, international law, and sovereign rights over marine resources, remaining African-led,
development-oriented and anchored in civilian maritime governance, while generating mutual economic, technological, and strategic value.

They also fous to recognise climate change and rising sea levels, we urge long-term national strategies grounded in science and nature-based solutions, welcome the Blue NDC Challenge, and call for mobilisation enabling coastal communities to lead responses to the climate crisis.