The vital economic engine of the Western Indian Ocean which is the “Blue Economy,” is being severely undermined by maritime threats that are costing the region a staggering USD 1.14 billion annually.
This dramatic figure, equivalent to 5.7% of the region’s gross marine product, was revealed today at a regional meeting in Mauritius, co-convened by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC).
The three-day event, hosted at the Sofitel Hotel, centers on three activities: launching the 2025 report on the cost of maritime insecurity in the Western Indian Ocean, validating a Financial Sustainability Mechanism—a critical plan to secure long-term funding for the region’s maritime security structures, and validating the IOC Blue Economy Action Plan 2026-2030.
The recent ECA-IOC report entitled “Rocking the Boat: The Socio-Economic Impact of Maritime Threats in the Western Indian Ocean (2025)” lays bare the immense value and corresponding vulnerability of the WIO.
