TANZANIA: THE government, in collaboration with development partners and the private sector, has established strategies to ensure that the Blue Economy resources are utilised efficiently to promote the nation’s economy for sustainable development.
The Deputy Permanent Secretary (Union Affairs) in the Vice President’s Office, Mr Abdallah Hassan Mitawi, said recently that in order to achieve this, the National Blue Economy Policy for 2024 was launched in June 2024, along with the implementation strategy for the National Blue Economy Policy (2024 – 2034).
Mr Mitawi was officiating the working session to prepare the action plan for the implementation of the Blue Economy for the financial years 2024/25 and 2025/26, held in Arusha.
He noted that the action plan is a vital instrument in implementing the goals, strategies and objectives outlined in the implementation strategy of the National Blue Economy Policy for 2024/25 to 2025/26.
Mr Mitawi expressed his belief that the preparation of implementation plans for Blue Economy activities for 2024/25 and 2025/26 will enable the achievement of the goals, strategies and objectives specified in the National Blue Economy Policy of 2024 and its strategy, thus bringing productivity and broader benefits to the country.
“Tanzania is rich in resources in both marine and freshwater, encompassing 64,000 square kilometres of national waters in the ocean and 223,000 square kilometres of the Exclusive Economic Zone,” said Mr Mitawi and added that, “Activities related to the Blue Economy in the country are carried out by sectors including fisheries, energy, transport, natural resources and tourism, irrigation, mining, environmental conservation, investment, industry and trade.”
He noted that, the government has established various policy and legal frameworks, which include management and coordination procedures for Blue Economy activities in the relevant sectors.
ALSO READ: Tanzania has all investment opportunties you need
He said in 2023, notable achievements from the implementation of policies and laws related to the Blue Economy sectors included the production of 513,802.47 tonnes of fishery products valued at 3.5tri/-.
Mr Mitawi further noted, this production included 479,976.62 tonnes from natural waters (with freshwater contributing 85 per cent and marine waters 15 per cent) and 33,825.85 tonnes from aquaculture, including fish farming, seaweed cultivation, seagrass farming and sea cucumber farming, as well as the discovery of approximately 57.54 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
