ZANZIBAR President, Hussein Mwinyi, has called for the introduction of ‘Blue Economy Youth Skills Programme’ in Commonwealth countries aimed at equipping one million young people with skills in the blue and green economies by 2030.
President Mwinyi made the remarks during the 2025 Commonwealth Trade & Investment Summit (CTIS) held on 7 and 8 April 2025 at the historic Mansion House in London.
He emphasised the need to establish volunteer and technical support initiatives in this sector to accelerate sustainable ocean development among Commonwealth countries.
Additionally, Dr Mwinyi invited summit participants to visit Zanzibar and explore investment opportunities in the blue economy, including marine ecotourism, oceanbased renewable energy, sustainable aquaculture and port development.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming Zanzibar into a middle-income economy by 2050, following the launch of the Blue Economy Development Vision and Policy Strategy in 2022.
The summit was attended by leaders and stakeholders from various Commonwealth nations. Meanwhile, President Mwinyi met with leaders of UK companies and institutions during which he explained investment potentials, including highlighting Zanzibar’s strategic marine position.
President Mwinyi used the platform to invite the companies to explore investment opportunities both in the islands and across Tanzania.
This emerged when President Mwinyi held discussions with executives from various UK-based companies and institutions.
Their discussions addressed various development aspects related to the blue economy. Among those he met was Mr Stephen Christensen, founder of Bahari Food Systems, along with his delegation.
Dr Mwinyi praised the company for focusing on sectors aligned with Zanzibar’s development priorities.
The delegation expressed their enthusiasm about Zanzibar’s Blue Economy Policy, which aims to sustainably harness marine resources for the benefit of coastal communities through activities such as fishing, seaweed farming and eco-tourism.
President Mwinyi also met with Nasser Khan, Vice President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the UK and his team.
He commended the community for its extensive humanitarian work worldwide and pledged continued collaboration on various development initiatives.
Though religious in nature, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is active in social development, supporting projects that improve access to water, education, and healthcare globally.
