Tanzania hails the Blue Economy Conference for providing in-depth knowledge on management marine and natural resources
DAR ES SALAAM: THE Director of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Unit at the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Felix Chakila, has said the Fifth International Blue Economy Conference has provided Tanzania with an important platform to gather ideas and views from various stakeholders, both locally and internationally, on how to strengthen the blue economy and natural resources sectors.
Chakila said the conference had enabled participants to discuss the importance of establishing laws and legal frameworks that would facilitate the effective implementation of the blue economy in line with the objectives outlined in Tanzania’s Development Vision 2050.
Speaking on September 7, 2026, during the conference held at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC) in Dar es Salaam, Chakila said one of the resolutions reached was the need to ensure that Tanzania’s laws are aligned with international laws and standards.
He said the move was important in preventing potential legal conflicts that could arise from blue economy activities involving international jurisdictions.
“One of the resolutions we reached is to ensure that our national laws are aligned with international laws in order to prevent legal conflicts that may arise in the international arena,” Chakila said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Board of the College of African Fisheries and Maritime Studies, Paul Peter Olekashe, said the government plans to ensure that the blue economy is widely recognised and given greater importance across the country through the establishment of appropriate procedures, policies and laws that take into account the benefits of the sector to the nation and various economic sectors.
Olekashe said some laws relating to the blue economy were not yet adequately understood by the public due to limited awareness of the benefits and importance of the sector.
He said conferences such as the Fifth International Blue Economy Conference were important in raising awareness among citizens and stakeholders about opportunities available in the blue economy and how they could be harnessed to drive national development.
Speaking separately, the Commissioner for Law, Constitution and Good Governance from the Tanzania Higher Education Students’ Association (TAIRISO), Aron Mzelela, said they visited the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs’ exhibition booth at the conference to learn more about the services provided by the ministry and gain a better understanding of how the Constitution and laws are implemented in the country.
Nzelela said the visit enabled them to appreciate the important work being undertaken by the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs in overseeing the Constitution, national laws and legislation governing maritime affairs.
He also said the ministry had played a leading role in implementing the Mama Samia Legal Aid Programme, which has provided legal assistance to citizens in both urban and rural areas.
According to Nzelela, such efforts have made a significant contribution towards ensuring that citizens have access to legal services and are aware of their rights.
He said the philosophy of the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs was to ensure that every citizen receives justice in accordance with the Constitution and laws of the country.
