Exploring maritime diplomacy of small island developing states in Africa: cases of Mauritius and Seychelles

ABSTRACT Maritime diplomacy remains a poorly defined concept despite the fact that the maritime domain carries implications for the ways in which states relate to one another both in the past and in the contemporary era. Nonetheless, for many states, the maritime domain has come to hold increasing importance as it intersects with present environmental, economic, and security concerns. This is particularly true in Africa, where many states see the Blue Economy as their next economic frontier, presenting manifold opportunities for growth, but which are in turn threatened by transnational criminal activity, and, the universal challenge of climate change and environmental degradation. This article details the concept of maritime diplomacy and attempts to provide a typology for a deeper understanding of this form of diplomacy. It then considers the practical application of maritime diplomacy by the small island developing states in Africa, providing Mauritius and the Seychelles case studies.