To boost Blue Economy and Security in Africa, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, has been selected as the Lead Speaker for an international symposium coming up in South Africa in May.
The two-day symposium is organised by the Security Watch Africa Initiatives (SWAI) and the Centre for Military Studies (CEMIS) from Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
Theme of the symposium fixed for May 4 and 5, 2023, at the STIAS Conference Centre, Stellenbosch, South Africa, is ‘Blue Ocean Economy And Security In Africa: Challenges And Prospects For Agenda 2063’.
It seeks to explore various aspects of the Blue Ocean Economy and the potential roles navies of various countries can play, in conjunction with public and private sector entities, in ensuring security on the continent’s ocean waters.
Articulating practical mechanism in actualising the Blue Ocean Economy for the African continent using Gambo’s outstanding leadership at the Nigerian Navy is another aim of the forum.
The discussants will explore how African navies have experienced the unlocking of blue economies in Africa.
Discussions will further assist to foster inter-naval cooperation and relationships between Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) navies.
The symposium is providing an important opportunity for the chiefs of navies to frame the agenda for naval participation in their respective blue economies.
It will allow each Navy to provide a keynote address regarding its experiences in defending the blue economy.
There will also be syndicate discussions, and a feedback session to allow each syndicate to report their findings. The conference will close with a consolidated report of these findings.
Among those expected to attend the symposium are parliamentarians, Ministry/Secretary of Defence personnel, practitioners in the maritime space, academics, defence industry representatives.
Also expected at the symposium are students of the military academy, while a limited number of seats will be opened for the public. The call for delegates will close on April 20, 2023 for foreign delegates and April 28, 2023 for African delegates
Interested delegates can register through this link
