The EU-funded ECOFISH Programme, which has been implemented by the Indian Ocean Commission in partnership with COMESA, EAC, IGAD, and SADC, is set to conclude on September 12, 2025.

But its legacy is already taking shape through the proposed Eastern and Southern Africa Sustainable Fisheries and Blue Economy Coordination Platform a regional mechanism designed to transform fisheries and aquaculture into the backbone of the Blue Economy.

Anchored in the Regional Economic Communities, the new platform will coordinate sustainable fisheries development, promote trade and investments, and integrate science and innovation into governance. It is expected to be regionally owned, inclusive, and permanent.

A two-day consultative workshop in Nairobi has convened 50 senior representatives from governments, academia, business communities, fisherfolk organisations, and civil society to validate the framework, refine the technical committees' mandate, and agree on a roadmap for operationalisation.

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The Eastern and Southern Africa region is home to fisheries worth billions of dollars, supporting more than one million people directly and up to seven million indirectly.

However, the sector faces weak governance, post-harvest losses of up to 40%, and annual revenue leaks of over $200 million due to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

Experts say the ESA-SFBE Platform could unlock an additional $5-10 billion annually by boosting sustainable production, reducing losses, and tapping into under-utilised opportunities. This would firmly position fisheries as the "blue chip of the Blue Economy," contributing to food security, livelihoods, and climate resilience.

The ECOFISH Programme has already laid the groundwork with innovative tools such as the Blue Economy Fisheries Satellite Account, climate observatories, and collaborative governance models like the LTA-LVFO partnership and the IGAD Fisheries Forum. These will now be scaled up under the new platform.

By consolidating these gains, the ESA-SFBE Platform is expected to set a model of fisheries and Blue Economy cooperation not only for Eastern and Southern Africa, but also for the wider continent under the AU's Agenda 2063.