The Gulf of Guinea Maritime Institute is committed to creating multiple platforms for engaging youth and women in Africa’s blue economy discourse to promote diversity and inclusion in Africa’s maritime industry.

Following the success of the Blue Career and Business Expo—organized to expose Ghanaian youth and early career ocean professionals to the blue economy, its challenges, and opportunities for sustainable development in 2021—a training program on the blue economy was developed for Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOP), with funding support from UNESCO, to sustain the interest generated among participants of the event.

The training course was organized as an important first step for engaging African ECOPs in GoGMI’s BMP to facilitate their full participation and meaningful contribution to rich dialogue concerning pertinent issues in Africa’s blue economy and to continuously develop their capacity to create the workforce that Africa needs.

The ECOP Training Course was held twice this year in March and November 2022 as a 9-day event to equip the youth with first-hand knowledge about Africa’s blue economy and expose participants to various career and business opportunities in the blue industry.