Objective of the Consultancy

In April 2024, Expertise France (EF) has submitted a call for expressions of interest (EoI) for the implementation of Component 2 “Sustainable Blue Economy (SBE) in West Africa” and with the overall coordination of the WASOP programme.

At the time of publication of these ToR, EF is awaiting the result of this EoI. Yet, in order to start as soon as possible the formulation phase of the project in case of positive feedback, EF is launching the recruitment of a Consultancy with the following objectives:

·       Provide EF with a better overview of the situation and the context (what exists, what is missing, etc.);

• Carry out an exhaustive mapping of public policies, development projects and other initiatives related to the blue economy in the WASOP countries (Mauritania, Senegal, Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria);
• Identify the key stakeholders involved in these initiatives;
• Provide recommendations on the countries to visit and the stakeholders to meet during Expertise France’s instruction mission.

The final objective of the Consultancy is to provide EF with additional information to enable it to enhance its technical offer to best meet the needs and challenges of the blue economy in West Africa.

Nature of the services requested

The Consultant will be in charge of carrying out:

1.     Mapping

• Carry out a literature review to gather information on public policies (including ECOWAS strategy and action plans), development projects and other initiatives underway in each country of the region. Primary and secondary sources will be used, including government documents, reports from international organisations, academic publications, official websites, etc. Remote exchanges with some stakeholders (EU delegation, etc.) may also be envisaged.
• The results of this mapping will be summarised in a simple tool such as a table or other similar method which will allow a comparison between the situation at regional level (including ECOWAS) and at national level, in the 13 WASOP countries.
• For the policies and regulatory framework, the mapping will include information on their implementation level (including the challenges faced by the region/countries in the implementation, etc.).

In addition to public policies and development projects, the consultant will also have to take into account the following initiatives (non-exhaustive) related to the BE in WA:

• Research and Innovation Programmes: Identify research and innovation programmes focused on the blue economy, carried out by academic institutions, research centres, or public-private partnerships. This could include research projects on the sustainability of marine resources, innovative maritime technologies, etc.
• Public-Private Partnerships: Examine existing public-private partnerships (PPPs) aimed at promoting the sustainable development of the blue economy. This may include collaboration between governments, private companies and civil society organisations for the management of marine resources, the development of coastal tourism, etc.
• Community Development Initiatives: Identify community development initiatives that integrate components related to the blue economy, such as capacity building of coastal communities for sustainable management of marine resources, promotion of responsible tourism, or diversification of sea-based livelihoods.

By taking these various initiatives into account, the consultant will be able to draw up a comprehensive map of the blue economy in the West African region, providing an overview of current efforts and opportunities for collaboration and development.

The mapping should take into-consideration the cross-cutting and inter-sectoral nature of the BE, which covers the following aspects:

• Maritime and port security and safety
• Entrepreneurship and innovation in the sectors of the blue economy, inc. access to finance
• Development of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors
• Biodiversity, protection and restoration of ecosystems
• Sustainable resources management
• Circular economy and waste management
• Social protection and risk prevention
• Legal and judicial systems

2.     Identification of the main stakeholders

The consultant will also identify the main stakeholders involved, such as government organisations, NGOs, private companies, academic institutions, etc., as well as their specific roles and responsibilities in implementing initiative on BE.

Non-exhaustive list of stakeholders:

·       Government players

• Ministries responsible for fisheries, environment, tourism, trade, agriculture, transport, etc.
• National marine and coastal resource management agencies.
• Port and maritime authorities.

·       International and regional organisations

• Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
• West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).
• Abidjan Convention.
• Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission (SRFC).
• The Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC).
• Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) through the Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF).
• The African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP).
• IFI: World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), etc.

·       Programmes & networks

• NaturAfrica Initiative (EU flagship).
• FishGov project.
• The Regional Network of Marine Protected Areas in West Africa (RAMPAO).
• PAPBio C1 Mangroves (EU project on mangroves conservation from Senegal to Benin).

·       Civil society organisations

• NGOs working in the field of marine and coastal conservation (IUCN, MAVA Foundation, Wetland International, etc.)
• Fishermen's and seafarers' associations.
• Environmental protection groups.

·       Private sector

• Industrial and artisanal fishing companies.
• Aquaculture business.
• Maritime transport and logistics companies.
• Seafood processing industries.
• Blue tourism operators.

·       Academic and research institutions

• Universities and research centres specialising in marine and environmental sciences.
• Marine resource analysis laboratories.
• Maritime vocational training institutes.

3.     Recommendation for the instruction mission

Based on the results of the mapping, specific recommendations should be provided on priority countries to visit and key stakeholders to meet during Expertise France’s instruction mission. This could include national governments, development agencies, regional organisations, NGOs and private sector partners engaged in promising blue economy initiatives.

By identifying and understanding these key stakeholders, the final report will enable Expertise France to better target their actions and collaborations to promote the sustainable development of the blue economy in West Africa.

In his/her technical proposal, the Consultant can also propose any other information that s/he thinks is important to achieve the objective of this mission and include them in his/her technical offer.

==> For further information, see the ToR attached.