China and Sustainable Fisheries in West Africa

 The Stimson Center published in July 2023 a major report titled "Charting a Blue Future for Cooperation between West Africa and China on Sustainable Fisheries" by Sam Geall, Carolyn Gruber, Regina Lam, Lily Schlieman, Lauren Shea, U. Rashid Sumaila, and Sally Yozell.  

Over the past decade, Chinese owned and flagged distant water fishing vessels have expanded their presence in West Africa.  The Stimson Center coordinated a comprehensive review of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, fisheries management, and the role of China in the development of West Africa's sustainable blue economy.

This report offers the governments of West African states and China clear, concise, and actionable recommendations to foster sustainable fisheries management and counter IUU fishing in the Gulf of Guinea and beyond.

Africa and China's Maritime Silk Road

China published on 20 June 2017 its most detailed explanation so far of the Maritime Silk Road titled "Vision for Maritime Cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative."

The purpose of the document is to synchronize development plans and promote joint actions among countries along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. A key component as concerns Africa is the building of the China-Indian Ocean-Africa-Mediterranean Sea Blue Economic Passage. As for projects being implemented in Africa, the document cites the railway linking Addis Ababa and Djibouti, the railway between Mombasa and Nairobi, and the Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone in Egypt. Interestingly, there is no mention of China's new military facility in Djibouti.

The document stresses development projects, infrastructure construction, marine ecoesystems, climate change, anti-poverty programs, maritime security, economic growth, and mechanisms for collaboration in creating the blue economy. Nearly all of these initiatives have been on-going components of China's policies in Africa and the specific projects cited for Africa predate the announcement of the Belt and Road Initiative three years ago.