Africa’s coastal areas turned into dumping sites

SOME coastal areas in Africa have been turned into dump-sites, yet they have the potential for job creation through tourism.

This was said by Abou Bamba, the executive secretary of the Convention for Cooperation in the Protection, Management and Development of the Atlantic Coast of West, Central and Southern Africa (Abidjan Convention).

“Africa has some of the best beaches in the world which can create jobs through tourism but instead, some have been turned into dumping sites for all manner of waste,” said Bamba. He was speaking at a panel discussion on ocean governance held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, recently. Bamba said marine and coastal areas can also generate wind energy to meet the ever-increasing demands of power in African countries.

“Companies cannot generate enough power to meet the demands but wind energy can be generated from marine and coastal areas.

“We need to create jobs through the blue economy. Many of our youth do not have jobs,” said Bamba.

Johnson Boanuh from the Economic Community of West African States, said ocean governance refers to the proper management of the sea and oceans to ensure their sustainable use. He said in West Africa, 12 of the 15 countries have coastal areas with only three landlocked.

Boanuh said the major challenge facing marine and coastal areas in West Africa are urbanisation, population growth, which results in degradation of crucial habitats for fishing, already impacted by climate change.

Kamale-Deen Ali from the Centre for Maritime Law Security in Accra (Ghana) said African countries can benefit more from their oceans by extending their exclusive economic zones of 200 nautical miles by another 150.