Through the development of the maritime economy for South and Southern Africa, the success of economic diversification will depend on a feasible architecture of cooperation beginning with existing regional arrangements to address the risks that are undermining the development of the blue economy. Maritime risks in the region are characterized by the security-development nexus. This means that the protection of the blue economy cannot be discussed in isolation from maritime security issues. Thus far regional cooperation on maritime issues has largely been security centric. This policy brief looks at how increased regional development cooperation can actualize the development of a sustainable blue economy for bicoastal South and Southern Africa.
