Blue economy seen as lifeline for African jobs and food

For ordinary Africans, the promise of the blue economy is not an abstract trade theory. It is a question of jobs, food security from the ocean, and whether the continent can still find partners willing to work with it at a time when global markets are closing their doors. That was the argument put forward by deputy trade, industry and competition minister John Steenhuisen at the 2026 BlueInvest Africa Summit, a two-day gathering at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town that began on Monday.

The summit brings together representatives of government, the EU, funders and entrepreneurs who are searching for backing for their business ideas in the blue sector, which covers the maritime industry and the management and sustainability of marine resources. Its stated purpose is to explore the potential of that sector at a moment when protectionism and trade fragmentation are reshaping the world economy.

Steenhuisen told delegates the event offered a chance to build partnerships and to showcase investment opportunities, including avenues for regional co-operation within the Southern African Development Community and under the African Continental Free-Trade Agreement. For citizens across the region, such co-operation is framed as the route to economic growth that does not depend on the goodwill of any single trading partner.

“Learning together, you cannot be the captain who curses the sea, and you have to navigate these new choppy international geopolitical waters. I am confident if we all pitch in, if we all fill the hulls, if we all trim our sails together, and we get into formation, we will be able to navigate these difficult times and emerge at the end with a new consensus, new partnerships and with new development into the future,” he said.

His remarks come against a difficult global backdrop. Since joining the government of national unity after the 2024 election, Steenhuisen has been at the forefront of efforts to ease trade tensions with the US. Following a cabinet reshuffle by President Cyril Ramaphosa in July, he moved from the agriculture portfolio, which dealt with US trade fragmentation, to the department of trade, industry and competition. That department has lobbied strongly for South Africa to remain in an extended African Growth and Opportunity Act so it can continue enjoying preferential access to the US market.

The tensions he described are typified by US President Donald Trump’s unilateral tariffs on economies around the world, including strategic partners, and the protracted war against Iran that his administration dragged the US into. Steenhuisen argued that as geopolitical tensions persist and their ripple effects show up in protectionism and dwindling funding commitments, Africa could serve as an example of why it matters for hands to join rather than separate.

“It is awesome that platforms like this provide us with an important opportunity to demonstrate the importance of multilateralism in a world where multilateralism has been turned on its head, where we are often met with a closed hand rather than an extended hand of friendship,” he said.

He added that stronger co-operation between the AU and the EU could unlock untapped sectors on the continent, create jobs and establish a trade dynamic between the two regions for even and mutual benefit.

Sustainability was a central theme for the EU delegation. Charlina Vitcheva, director-general of the EU commission for maritime affairs and fisheries, said it remains crucial to developing the blue economy at continental and global level. “Sustainability is absolutely crucial because it is the ocean that sustains us, so let’s sustain the ocean so the ocean sustains us. When we speak about the future generations, there is no better topic than the ocean because if they are to exist, the oceans should be sustainable and healthy,” she said.

EU ambassador to South Africa Kristian Schmidt said the EU and South Africa have held strategic discussions on expanding the potential of the maritime industry in the country and the region, and on developing solutions to bolster the regional logistics network against risks that come with opportunities. “Maritime routes are increasing around the Cape of Good Hope, bringing opportunities, but it also brings risks. It brings opportunities for green shipping, for global shipping, and we have had strategic dialogue with South Africa to harness that trade,” he said.

BlueInvest Africa is the first EU-funded programme specifically designed to accelerate investment in sustainable blue economy ventures across the African continent.