By Bunmi Yekini
Environmental advocacy group Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE) has called for greater inclusion of young people in Africa’s maritime sector, unveiling a blueprint aimed at strengthening youth participation in the blue economy during the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Kenya.
The conference, held in the coastal city of Mombasa from June 16-18, marked the first time the global ocean summit was hosted on African soil, bringing together government leaders, scientists, civil society groups and development partners to advance commitments on ocean conservation and sustainable marine governance.
At the conference’s Scientific and Research Pre-Conference Symposium, PAVE’s Senior Programmes Manager, Victoria Ujunwa Aghaji, presented the organisation’s proposed “West Africa Youth Blue Economy Value-Chain Advocacy, Awareness and Local Capacities Development Project,” designed to address what she described as the exclusion of coastal youth from maritime governance and economic opportunities.
“We can’t really talk about a sustainable blue economy in Africa if we continue to leave our youth out of the conversation around policy, technology, and economic opportunities,” Aghaji said during the symposium.
She said the initiative seeks to equip young people in coastal communities with skills for marine conservation, sustainable fisheries and participation in emerging maritime industries, while strengthening advocacy and public awareness across West Africa.
The proposal comes amid growing concerns over environmental pressures facing coastal communities, including overfishing, marine plastic pollution and climate change-induced coastal erosion.
PAVE said the project aims to map and strengthen the blue economy value chain to help transform vulnerable coastal youth into environmental stewards and entrepreneurs capable of benefiting from sustainable ocean-based industries.
The presentation sparked discussions among international development agencies and financing institutions attending the symposium, according to the organisation.
During the main conference, a PAVE delegation led by its president, Anthony Akpan, engaged policymakers and stakeholders on issues of marine governance, advocating stronger enforcement of marine protected areas and greater representation of youth-led civil society organisations in national maritime policies.
The organisation said its participation reflected a broader effort to ensure that international ocean commitments translate into tangible benefits for communities most affected by environmental degradation.
As governments and stakeholders review commitments made during the conference, PAVE said its youth-focused framework offers a model for linking ocean conservation with economic opportunities across West Africa’s coastal regions.