Disputes over Africa's ocean resources: Here's what could help avoid them
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- Africa Blue Economy Strategy sets a vision for an inclusive, sustainable ocean economy, but conflicts threaten its goals.
- Research team of environmental and social scientists compiled 1,000+ conflicts from 2008‑2018 media reports and expert surveys, revealing patterns across sectors.
- Experts from government, NGOs and academia stress that fair interventions and community participation resolve many disputes.
- Marine conflicts are 75% about access to resources like fisheries, mangrove forests, and landing sites, often involving multiple sectors such as oil drilling or sand mining.
- Non‑violent verbal disagreements dominate, yet they still disrupt resource management and livelihoods for coastal communities.
Why it matters: Over 1,000 marine disputes have disrupted fisheries and livelihoods for coastal communities across 34 African nations.
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