My people are afraid of the sea—they see it as a dangerous force. Even though the country’s capital is on the island of Bioko, we only have three public beaches, and fishing isn’t as common as other coastal cities. Since Europeans arrived here in the 15th century, the indigenous people have been confined to the inland, which continues to affect mainstream mindsets.
But I love the ocean. I want to wake up and cycle along the sea, from Malabo to Luba, play volleyball on the beach, and buy affordable fish. My dream is to see a vibrant blue economy in my country and across all of Africa before I turn 40. The World Bank defines the blue economy as the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem. Promoting the blue economy is directly connected to realizing SDG 14. It was also the same direction taken at the first global conference on the sustainable blue economy in Nairobi two years ago, and in Agenda 2063 of the Africa Union.
However, as I mentioned earlier, my country lacks interest in the sea and its various benefits. It has only developed the offshore oil and gas economy, ignoring how the ocean can enrich our lives in so many other ways, from fishing, tourism, and water sports, to offshore wind power, desalination, aquaculture, shipbuilding, and bioprospecting.
Let’s start with what ordinary citizens can do. First of all, we need to spread awareness of how important it is to keep the ocean clean and the high benefits it can generate for local economies. To achieve this, I started the African Island Youth Organization. We want to attract the interest of the young generation and work with authorities and educational institutions to change attitudes toward the ocean. To do this, we need to work with the youth from other islands across the country. Our voices must be loud and powerful enough that they can be heard throughout the international community.
We are just beginning to walk toward our dream of realizing a blue economy. Still, we will continue to hold on to the belief that we can transform Equatorial Guinea into the center of Africa’s blue economy.