POLICY BRIEF article
Front. Polit. Sci.
Sec. International Studies
This article is part of the Research TopicBridging regional gaps: The intersection of maritime security and sustainable development in AfricaView all articles
Sustainable Alliance Strategies in Maritime Delimitation for Small Island Developing States in Africa: Balancing the Equitable Principles and Marine Resource Governance
Provisionally accepted
- College of African Area and Country Studies, Law School, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
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African Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face critical challenges in maritime delimitation, balancing equitable principles with sustainable marine resource governance amid climate change and geopolitical pressures. Regional mechanisms like and the Western Indian Ocean Coastal States Association (WIOCSA) employ innovative approaches, including soft-law governance and blockchain technology, to strengthen sovereignty and transparency. Successful cases such as Seychelles' blue bonds and Mauritius' adaptive fisheries management demonstrate effective capacity-building through resilience, adaptation, and systemic transformation. Equitable delimitation requires integrating ecological, economic, and legal dimensions while advancing regional cooperation. Strengthening inclusive governance frameworks remains essential for realizing sustainable development under the Agenda 2063 of the African Union (AU), ensuring African SIDS can navigate complex maritime boundaries while protecting vital marine resources.
Keywords: maritime delimitation, African SIDS, equitable principle, Marine resource governance, sustainable alliance
Received: 22 Jul 2025; Accepted: 01 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Sun. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Chuanxiang Sun
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