WELCOME TO DOTCAN
Promoting Safe, Secure and Sustainable Blue Economies
- Training in ocean-relevant technical and business / entrepreneurship skills
- Regional ocean business development
- Maritime security training and cooperation
Development of ocean technical capacity with african nations
A Cooperative Canadian Contribution to a Global, Secure and Sustainable Blue Economy
Understanding and protecting the marine environment
DOTCAN is a grass-roots initiative which was stimulated by the Sustainable Blue Economy Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya in November 2018. The initiative builds on commitments made by Canada at that conference and will be a concrete implementation of Canada’s Ocean Strategy, which is based on principles of sustainable development, integrated management and the precautionary approach. Initially, this multilateral, multisectoral and “joined-up” initiative will build on links between Canada and West African nations as well as existing international partnerships, and will have three main focus areas:
The African continent, Canada and the Ocean?
Africa has enormous potential for economic growth and development of new markets, including for Canadian goods and services as a result of its current and projected population growth (from 1.3 to 4.3 billion people by 2100; “UN-WPP (2019); ourworldindata.org”) and rapid urbanization.
This growth is heavily concentrated within the coastal nations and new megacities of West Africa which share a dependence with Canada on the Atlantic Ocean for: food; climate change risks adaptation; energy resources; clean water; maritime security; ports and international trade; tele-communications infrastructure (undersea cables); and tourism.
Our Vision
“A Pan-Atlantic network of individuals from business, academia, government, and communities that share ocean-relevant knowledge, skills and resources to support collaborative and regional initiatives that create sustainable and equitable livelihoods.”
- Canada and West African nations have a common interest in mitigating pressures on the ocean environment and the development of sustainable livelihoods.
- Canada has strong connections to West Africa, through membership of the Commonwealth and La Francophonie and because West Africa is an important source for new immigrants.
In November 2018, at Nairobi, Canada committed to work with African nations and Small Island Developing States to promote a sustainable Blue Economy in support of UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 which is to:
“Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”