The Second Blue Economy Core Group Workshop, themed "Maritime Connectivity and Financing for Development in the Indian Ocean Rim," was convened to advance regional knowledge of the emerging ocean economy and its potential for socio-economic growth. Held from 13–14 July 2016 in Qingdao City, China, the workshop aimed to foster dialogue on sustainable maritime infrastructure and identify synergies for regional development.
Key objectives included exploring new financing mechanisms for port infrastructure and shipping, comparing economic development models like Special Economic Zones (SEZs), and enhancing marine capacity building through vocational education and skills training.
The event was hosted by the Ocean University of China and co-hosted by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) of South Africa, with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (DIRCO) of South Africa. Participation was robust, featuring representation from 13 IORA Member States, including Australia, Bangladesh, India, and Indonesia, alongside Dialogue Partners China and Egypt. Notably, the event was highlighted as a historic milestone, representing the first time a Dialogue Partner provided such a high level of cooperation within IORA.
Key discussions spanned four thematic sessions, focusing on financing ocean infrastructure, utilizing SEZs as drivers for foreign investment, and the strategic opportunities presented by the Maritime Silk Road Initiative. Participants examined the need for local funding resources, the development of smaller harbors, and the importance of addressing skills shortages through technology transfer and South-South cooperation.
Major outcomes included recommendations to conduct a comparative analysis of blue economy cooperation models and to develop a regional inventory of projects to enhance coordination. This workshop is centrally relevant to IORA’s Blue Economy priority, contributing to regional cooperation by bridging the gap between academic research and policy formulation. It emphasized that maritime connectivity is vital for unlocking developmental opportunities while balancing economic exploitation with environmental conservation and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
