The 19th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) of Eastern Africa was closed after four days of in-depth discussions debates and exchanges on Harnessing the Blue Economy for Eastern Africa's Development.

The meeting organized by the Sub-Regional Office for Eastern Africa of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, in collaboration with the Government of Madagascar produced some of the following takeaways:

- The Blue Economy has a role to play in promoting social development with the prospect of creating jobs.

- The Blue Economy is not just about seas and oceans, but also about rivers and lakes.

- The Blue Economy is part of the overall concept of sustainable development and its three economic, social and environmental components.

- Security is paramount to the Blue Economy and natural resource management.

- Ocean resource mapping and establishment of regional and national databases are key..

Participants endorsed the conclusions of the work detailed in twenty-eight resolutions.

The meeting recommended the elaboration of a " Policy Handbook of the blue economy for Eastern Africa" that will contain a guide on how to mainstream the blue economy related principles into national policies, laws, practices.

195 participants from thirteen countries (Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda) contributed to the meeting.

Many regional and international organizations and media houses were also represented at the Antananarivo Meeting.

The 20th meeting of the ICE will be held in Kenya in 2016.