In a move to shore up its maritime sovereignty, Ghana has taken its Blue Economy ambitions to the global stage of the 34th FAO Ministerial Conference in Nouakchott, Mauritania, where the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Hon. Emelia Arthur, engaged in a bilateral session with the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Qu Dongyu.
The meeting marked a strategic pivot for Ghana. As capture fisheries face the dual pressures of climate change and over-exploitation, the government is moving to “secure the future,” by tethering its national development goals to the FAO’s global agrifood systems transformation agenda.
According to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD), this diplomatic engagement was an aggressive bid for the technical and financial “anchors” required to turn Ghana into the West African hub for sustainable aquaculture and maritime governance.
“The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 34th Ministerial Conference of the FAO, bringing together key stakeholders to advance cooperation on agrifood systems transformation and sustainable resource management.
Also present at the conference was the Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Hon. John Dumelo, who joined Ghana’s delegation in advancing the country’s interests in agriculture and fisheries development”
Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development
Through integrating fisheries into the broader agricultural dialogue, Ghana framed Aquaculture as a core pillar of national food security and economic resilience, rather than an isolated maritime sub-sector. This unified front was essential for the “Agrifood systems transformation” that the FAO promotes.
It recognized that the proteins harvested from Ghana’s waters are just as critical to the national breadbasket as the crops grown on its soil. For MoFAD, the coordinated effort between the two ministries increased the bankability of Ghana’s requests for technical assistance.
Prioritized Needs
The bilateral talks distilled Ghana’s maritime needs into five specific, friction areas – prioritized to solve the structural weaknesses that have held back the sector’s profitability. The first was aquaculture development, with a focus on shifting from state-led initiatives to private sector participation.
Hon. Arthur noted that Ghana is looking for the FAO to help create a “value chain” that attracts real capital into fish farming, hatcheries, and feed production.
Post-harvest management was mentioned as perhaps the most critical economic friction point, as the Ministry believes that improving fish processing infrastructure and reducing post-harvest losses will boost the “competitiveness” of Ghana’s exports, ensuring that more value stays within the country.
Under fisheries governance, the goal is to move toward co-management systems by building the capacity of fisheries associations to decentralize governance and empower local communities to protect their own resources.
The Minister further highlighted research and data systems as the next critical point. She explained that you cannot manage what you do not measure, as she sought FAO support for stock assessments and updated statistics to ensure that policymaking is based on hard evidence rather than historical guesswork.
Last was monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS), which is expected to prioritize the deployment of modern technologies to combat IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing. IUU fishing represents a massive drain on the national economy, and Ghana is looking for the tech and enforcement mechanisms to stop the hemorrhage.
“She emphasized that Ghana’s fisheries sector reforms and governance frameworks have significantly benefited from FAO’s technical assistance, particularly in strengthening monitoring, control, and surveillance systems, enhancing transparency, and improving compliance with international standards”
Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development
Positioning for Regional Dominance
Hon. Emelia Arthur used the Nouakchott platform to officially stake Ghana’s claim as a Blue Economy Leader. With the national Blue Economy Strategy already developed and the legal frameworks currently being “hardened” back in Accra, the Minister signaled that Ghana is now in the implementation phase.
The strategy focuses on Aquaculture as the primary engine for job creation and food security, complementing capture fisheries with a robust, industrial-scale aquaculture sector to insulate Ghana’s economy from the volatility of wild-catch volumes.
This isn’t just a domestic plan; it is a bid for regional influence. As the first in the sub-region to finalize such a comprehensive framework, Ghana is positioning itself as the primary partner for international donors and investors looking to enter the West African maritime market.
“Hon. Arthur used the opportunity to position Ghana as a strategic regional leader in the blue economy, noting that while Ghana’s Blue Economy Strategy has already been developed, work is currently underway to finalize the supporting policy and legal framework to guide its implementation”
Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development
The response from FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu was more than just diplomatic boilerplate. It specifically reaffirmed support for innovation, sustainability, and resilience, signaling the FAO’s readiness to provide the “high-tech” solutions Ghana is asking for – particularly in MCS and data systems.
The FAO acknowledged Ghana’s proactive steps, suggesting that the country’s recent domestic policy work is paying dividends in the form of international credibility. This recognition is the prerequisite for the “increased technical and financial support” that the Ministry is targeting.
In 2026, the FAO’s seal of approval is a powerful signal to other multilateral lenders and development partners. As the Nouakchott conference concludes, the focus shifts to the expected outcomes of the Ministry’s engagement.
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