ABER Urges African Maritime Stakeholders To Turn Policies Into Action
The Africa Blue Economy Roundtable (ABER) has urged maritime stakeholders across Africa to promote practical implementation of policies in line with the 2026 World Maritime Day theme.
ABER Convener, Dr Piriye Kiyaramo, made the call while speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt at the weekend.
Kiyaramo, who is also Special Assistant to the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA), said World Maritime Day would be commemorated on Sept. 24.
He said the 2026 celebration would focus on the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) theme, “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence.”
According to him, the theme was endorsed by the IMO Council at its 134th session in London from July 7 to 11, 2025.
He said the theme, proposed by IMO Secretary-General, Mr Arsenio Dominguez, would run for two consecutive years to underscore the importance of implementation.
“The theme transmits a clear message of our commitment to ensuring regulations are put into action and providing the necessary technical assistance for implementation to Member States,” Dominguez said.
Kiyaramo said the IMO theme was particularly relevant to Africa, where effective implementation of maritime policies remained critical to unlocking the continent’s blue economy potential.
He said ABER, as a continental blue economy networking platform supporting the domestication of the African Union Blue Economy Strategy, fully aligned with the theme.
He said the shift from policy formulation to implementation was necessary to build a safe, secure, efficient and environmentally sustainable maritime sector.
Kiyaramo urged ABER National Chapters, Regional Coordinators and partners to organise national events reflecting the theme.
He also called on stakeholders to showcase practical initiatives demonstrating how maritime policies could be translated into measurable action.
The ABER Convener urged maritime administrations, port authorities, training institutions and other blue economy actors to actively participate in the celebrations.
He also encouraged stakeholders to promote the activities through social media using the hashtags #WorldMaritimeDay and #MaritimePolicytoPractice.
Kiyaramo said the World Maritime Day Parallel Event would hold from Oct. 26 to 27, 2026, in Busan, Republic of Korea.
World Maritime Day is observed globally on the last Thursday of Septe
mber every year.
