Yaoundé, 30 January 2026 (ECA) – Cameroon has officially established a transformative strategic framework to harness its vast aquatic and maritime heritage.
Under the leadership of the Ministry of Economy, Planning, and Regional Development (MINEPAT) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Sub-Regional Office for Central Africa, with support from the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), nearly 40 national experts (drawn from the fisheries, tourism, energy, environment, and statistics sectors) have completed an intensive certification in blue economy valuation. This cohort now forms the specialized technical committee tasked with steering the development of the forthcoming national blue economy Strategy.
An Untapped Frontier for Economic Expansion
Cameroon sits upon a sleeping blue giant. The high-level proceedings held in Yaounde from January 27–30 revealed the profound scale of this untapped resource.
"Through an integrated partnership with MINEPAT, the National Institute of Statistics (INS), and our key stakeholders, an initial assessment has been finalized. Preliminary data indicate that the blue economy contributes approximately 5.8% to the national GDP and accounts for nearly 3% of total employment. Even more significant is the value of ecosystem services, estimated at 22.6 trillion FCFA," noted Soumaya Iraqui-Houssaini, Chief of the Economic Diversification Policy Reforms Section at ECA SROCA. Though provisional, these findings demonstrate that agriculture, forestry, and fisheries alone generate 68.28% of the blue sector's gross value added.
To translate these insights into a nationwide economic catalyst, stakeholders have validated a suite of national indicators designed to produce harmonized, high-quality statistics. For Jean Luc Mastaki, Director of the ECA Sub-Regional Office for Central Africa, this represents a leap toward strategic sovereignty:
"With this primary data and a shared methodological foundation, Cameroon is now set to establish the blue economy as a cornerstone of diversification, resilience, and decent job creation. The nation is now equipped with the empirical evidence required to inform budgetary trade-offs and direct high-impact investments toward value-added sectors."
This rigorous scientific approach was lauded by national authorities. Smith Enow Arrey, Technical Advisor and Representative of the Minister of Economy, stated: "The Government highly values this data-driven approach, which allows us to explore the full spectrum of possibilities. Our objective is to transition Cameroon into an upper-middle-income country by 2035, fundamentally improving the quality of life for our citizens by leveraging our blue potential."
Sustainability and Institutional Ownership
The success of this initiative is rooted in total national ownership. The capacity-building efforts undertaken this week ensure that the assessment of blue potential is not a singular event, but a continuous institutional process integrated into the National Statistical System (INS).
An intersectoral committee will be established to coordinate multi-sectoral interventions and lead the national strategy. Dedicated "Blue Economy" focal points within each administration will facilitate seamless data collection, while the INS will maintain quality assurance protocols before integrating data into the national dashboard.
Building a Resilient Future with the United Nations
Activating this blue potential is a critical pillar of Cameroon’s National Development Strategy (NDS30). As Smith Enow Arrey emphasized, the country aims to resolve the paradox of abundant natural resources and persistent poverty through a genuine "paradigm shift."
This structural transformation is bolstered by the coordinated support of the United Nations System, mobilizing agencies such as the FAO, UNIDO, UNESCO, UNODC and ILO. Attending the validation workshop, UN Resident Coordinator Issa Sanogo reaffirmed this partnership: "We remain steadfast in our commitment to support the Government of Cameroon in ensuring the blue economy becomes a fully integrated pillar of sustainable development, economic diversification, and employment."
Media Queries
Zacharie Roger MBARGA - Communications Officer
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
637, rue 3.069, Quartier du Lac, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Tel: (+237) 222504348
E-mail: zacharie.mbargayene@un.org
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Economic Commission for Africa
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