Oceans have long been at the heart of our planet.
They provide jobs, food security, water, transport, energy and are key drivers of wealth and prosperity.
If they were a single economy, oceans would be the seventh-largest, with an annual estimated value of $1.5 trillion per year, according to The Commonwealth.
More and more interest is emerging around the ‘blue economy’. which is made up of a number of ocean industries such as fisheries, tourism, maritime transport, aquaculture, renewable energy and other economic activities associated with the ocean.
The World Bank has estimated that fisheries contribute $270 billion annually to global gross domestic product. More than 80 percent of trade takes place by sea and the volume of trade by sea is expected to double by 2030.
As more governments are taking steps to promote ocean-based economies, how can the Middle East and North Africa ride the wave?
Pursuing the blue economy and the sustainable use of the oceans can help enable economic diversification and move the region towards a post-oil era.
With diversification plans underway in the region, developing sustainable coastal and marine tourism has vast potential. It is projected to be the largest value-adding segment of the ocean economy by 2030, with global growth rates of more than 3.5 percent forecast by the World Bank. This indicates that investing in non-oil sectors such as the tourism industry is an opportunity to help better diversify the economy.
New waves of investments are encouraging the development of such sectors. As the country with the longest Red Sea coastline, Saudi Arabia has unveiled ambitious plans to invest and develop its Red Sea Coast.
Through Vision 2030, the country is seeking to develop its coastline under a portfolio of projects dubbed the “Riviera of the Middle East” that include Amaala and NEOM.
In the UAE, initiatives have been launched to promote ecotourism across the country.
The National Ecotourism Project was announced by the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment in a bid to transform and position the country into a leading ecotourism destination.
Another opportunity to boost the blue economy is through developing the maritime industry.
As a backbone of the blue economy, maritime transport remains an integral part of international trade.
Nearly 90 percent of the world’s trade is carried by sea, according to the UN’s International Maritime Organisation. The Indian Ocean alone has the world’s busiest trade route and almost 80 percent of global maritime oil trade flows transits through three of its narrow passages of water.
The region can leverage its strategic location by giving priority to maritime growth.
Strengthening maritime cooperation can help make use of opportunities the blue economy offers. Steps have already been taken to improve the stability and enhance the prosperity of the Indian Ocean – whose coasts are home to nearly 2.7 billion people.
Last year, the UAE took the helm as chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) for the next two years. This was the first time the country has done so since joining the organisation in 1999.
As part of its mandate, the UAE pledged to revive the idea of establishing a development fund for the organisation.
The creation of such a fund has been a long source of disputes since the inception of IORA and will not be an easy task due to the diversity of member states.
However, given their complex interconnectedness, heavy reliance on the Indian Ocean and shared climate change woes, a development fund could further unlock the potential of the ocean.
The blue economy is aligned to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal number 14, which aims to “conserve and sustainably use the ocean, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”. While the potential of the blue economy has garnered interest from policymakers globally, this comes at a time where the oceans are at a tipping point.
The compounding effects of climate change, pollution, overfishing and the loss of biodiversity put added strain on the oceans.
While the blue economy offers vast potential, ocean health should be at the heart of the agenda.
Strategies taken to advance the blue economy’s potential must be taken through a climate and sustainability lens with a collective responsibility to support ocean health.
The blue economy depends on it.
Maram Ahmed is a Senior Fellow at SOAS, University of London
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN MARITIME DISPUTE
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
Where to submit a sample
Volunteers of all ages can submit DNA samples at centres across Abu Dhabi, including: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec), Biogenix Labs in Masdar City, NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City, NMC Royal Medical Centre, Abu Dhabi, NMC Royal Women's Hospital, Bareen International Hospital, Al Towayya in Al Ain, NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
SPECS
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
MORE ON CORONAVIRUS & THE ECONOMY
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
match info
Chelsea 2
Willian (13'), Ross Barkley (64')
Liverpool 0
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY
Centre Court (4pm UAE/12pm GMT)
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) v Heather Watson (GBR)
Rafael Nadal (ESP x4) v Karen Khachanov (RUS x30)
Andy Murray (GBR x1) v Fabio Fognini (ITA x28)
Court 1 (4pm UAE)
Steve Johnson (USA x26) v Marin Cilic (CRO x7)
Johanna Konta (GBR x6) v Maria Sakkari (GRE)
Naomi Osaka (JPN) v Venus Williams (USA x10)
Court 2 (2.30pm UAE)
Aljaz Bedene (GBR) v Gilles Muller (LUX x16)
Peng Shuai (CHN) v Simona Halep (ROM x2)
Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x13) v Camila Giorgi (ITA)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA x12) v Sam Querrey (USA x24)
Court 3 (2.30pm UAE)
Kei Nishikori (JPN x9) v Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x18)
Carina Witthoeft (GER) v Elina Svitolina (UKR x4)
Court 12 (2.30pm UAE)
Dominika Cibulkova (SVK x8) v Ana Konjuh (CRO x27)
Kevin Anderson (RSA) v Ruben Bemelmans (BEL)
Court 18 (2.30pm UAE)
Caroline Garcia (FRA x21) v Madison Brengle (USA)
Benoit Paire (FRA) v Jerzy Janowicz (POL)
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
