Draft Concept Note: African Scientific Conference On Advancing The Blue Economy In Africa
IOC Sub-Commission for Africa and the Adjacent Island States (IOCAFRICA)
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Abstract: This concept note provides the agenda for the upcoming African Scientific Conference on Advancing the Blue Economy, hosted in Mombasa, Kenya. The event seeks to harness ocean science and innovation to support inclusive economic development across Africa?s coastal and marine ecosystems. It highlights key gaps in blue economy integration, including weak regulatory enforcement, marine pollution, underfunded research, and climate vulnerability. Organized by IOCAFRICA with support from KMFRI and GOOS-Africa, the conference will convene stakeholders from academia, government, civil society, and private industry. Topics include fisheries governance, marine spatial planning, blue carbon, ocean modeling, renewable energy, and regional partnerships. Sessions will emphasize high-performance computing, satellite data use, and research gap analysis. Outputs will include policy recommendations, stakeholder mapping, and agenda alignment for post-conference programming. The conference aims to accelerate a science-policy interface that promotes marine resilience, economic equity, and climate-informed governance across Africa?s ocean economies.