Preliminary notes - preface

• Date: 08 April 2021
• Published date: 08 April 2021

PREFACE TO THE

CURRENT 2021 ISSUE

The seascape has changed since we drafted the preface to the

first issue of the Journal of Ocean Law and Governance in

Africa. Since then, we managed to put together two additional

issues until the time came to reflect on the first stage of the

Journal’s journey. We have every reason to be proud of the range

and quality of the contributions published thus far. We are

also grateful for the opportunity to publish in print important

national and international instruments, several of which were

previously accessible only electronically.

The needs of, and the ambitions for, the African maritime

domain are such, however, that we believe that further impetus

ought to be given to the Journal as an indigenous and dedicated

platform for the development and exposure of scholarship on

ocean governance in Africa. To do so, we decided to remove

any suggestion that the Journal might focus primarily on ocean

law by removing the word ‘law’ from the title of the Journal. We

also broadened the disciplinary and geographical width of the

editorial team. We intend to continue taking steps to gather the

critical mass necessary for the survival and healthy growth of our

periodical. We also intend to continue providing the extensive

editorial support necessary to encourage and support the fast-

growing pool of emerging African ocean-governance scholars

in publishing excellent research outputs on a scientific and

policy platform with which they are as comfortable as possible.

It would be almost impossible to do so without the continued

commitment of Juta Law to the Journal as well as the support

of the South African Department of Science and Innovation,

which funds the South African Research Chair in the Law of

the Sea and Development in Africa, hosted by Nelson Mandela

University.

Patrick Vrancken

Nelson Mandela Bay

February 2021

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2021 JOGA Editorial

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