Consultancy to Support the Our Blue Future Circular Economy Innovation Team

ACEN Foundation collaborated with Trinomics in a project funded by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). Under this consultancy, the project team is providing support to the Our Blue Future’s Circular Economy Innovation team. The OBF is a Multi-Stakeholder Initiative (MSI) for a Sustainable Blue Economy. With the circular economy identified as a key driver of change, it was suggested that the Circular Economy Innovation Team be created to drive circular economy actions with blue outcomes.

The focus of the Innovation Team is to support this transition by identifying and amplifying existing opportunities, improving on existing systems and mobilising resources to accelerate this transition. The team aims to avoid replicating existing systems. The project team will therefore conduct a rapid assessment of circular economy initiatives in the selected countries, develop project proposals and identify potential funders to support these initiatives.

The bigger picture

The Our Blue Future (OBF) initiative is a multi-stakeholder effort to catalyse an inclusive, sustainable blue economy across the Western Indian Ocean — spanning Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa and the island states of Madagascar, Seychelles, Comoros and Mauritius. Initiated in 2021 under the Nairobi Convention and supported by GIZ’s Western Indian Ocean Governance Initiative, OBF works across thematic areas including circular economy, blue finance, fisheries and nature-based solutions, with early circular-economy activity piloted in Mozambique.

References & further reading

• Our Blue Future — About the initiative.
• Nairobi Convention — Our Blue Future: introduction.
• PANORAMA Solutions — Our Blue Future: inclusive sustainable blue economy in the WIO.