This was the position of Dr Ayodele Odusola, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Chief Economist for Africa at the 9th African Economic Conference themed “Knowledge and Innovation for Africa’s Transformation” in Addis Ababa recently. A number of stakeholders gathered at the conference which was hosted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
“There are solid lessons on governance, social protection and structural transformation that the mainland Africa can borrow from the island nations of Cape Verde, Seychelles and Mauritius. We need to be honest and acknowledge that the structural transformation that
has been experienced in these small island developing states in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans is not by default,” he said.
“There has been strong political commitment and will backed by knowledgeable reforms which has seen them making deliberate structural transformation decisions which have led them to diversify their economic models,” he added.
Mercy Wambui, a communications official with UNECA agrees with the UN Economist. She asserted that the three African island nations can mentor the rest of Africa in areas they have made significant progress, particularly in creatively leveraging their assets and resources despite their vulnerabilities and limited sizes.
“It is not just aquaculture, maritime trade and governance but you will be surprised to note that Cape Verde leads all of Africa in harnessing the benefits of the creative economy. The three island states we are speaking about have done commendably well on meeting the Millennium development goals,” she commented.
Cape Verde, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), has diversified its economy by utilizing its rich cultural heritage to boost its creative economy. All of this happens on an island which lies some 350km off the west coast of Africa right in the Atlantic Ocean.
In an effort to study the various economic and governance models that have ushered in the successes of Africa’s SIDS, UNECA, which has positioned itself as the continent’s foremost think-tank, released a special report dubbed “Unlocking the full potential of the Blue Economy.” In the report it devoted immense attention to Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Sao Tome and Principe, Mauritius, Comoros and Seychelles, all six African small island states.
The blue economy concept is an attempt to shift society from scarcity to abundance using already existing resources. Africa’s SIDS, in line with this concept, have created something out of seemingly nothing by leveraging their capabilities in fisheries, tourism, maritime trade and other blue economy ideals. This way, they have diversified their economies and effected a social renewal.
“The way mainland African countries approach their fisheries sectors and even general maritime trade and ocean affairs needs to change. There are living successful templates on leveraging the blue economy in Seychelles, Mauritius and Cape Verde on what constitutes a successful fisheries industry and blue economy pride,” Dr Odusola concluded.
By Emmanuel Iruobe
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