Ocean Regions Programme

Oceans regions are playing an increasingly important role in the 21st Century. No longer confined to the fringes and margins of affairs, oceans are now being increasingly recognized as having an importance that extends far beyond being mere lanes of transport and communication. For example, NATO has recently incorporated the Indo-Pacific into its Strategic Concept, while the EU and ASEAN, as well as other countries, amongst them the US, UK, Japan, France and Indonesia, have all adopted outlooks or strategies on the Indo-Pacific. Other ocean spaces are also attracting attention, with the Indian Ocean becoming increasingly militarized and the Eastern Southern Atlantic experiencing increasing piracy, maritime terrorism and "blue crimes". Undoubtedly, governance of ocean regions will continue to be a top priority for regional and international organisations, as well as for African states as they try and position themselves in this rapidly expanding environment. Within this context, this page features project activities and relevant resources related to the above-mentioned themes. This includes a focus on South African and African perspectives on ocean regions. More specifically, this project currently works on the following subject areas: Bi-oceanic governance | The Indo-Pacific | BRICS. This page will regularly provide updates on developments, member activities, relevant news, and short articles related to the above-mentioned.