ABER Appoints Benjamin Young As Project Manager, Central Africa
By Tams Jonah, ABUJA – The Africa Blue Economy Roundtable (ABER) has appointed Mr. Benjamin Young of Tiko, South West Region of Cameroon, as its Project Manager for the Central Africa Region.
The appointment, approved by the Board of Trustees of the BRACED Tourism Promotion & Development Initiative (BTPDI), sponsors of ABER, takes effect immediately.
Young brings about 30 years of experience in public administration, with expertise in policy development, strategic planning and institutional resilience.
According to ABER, his Master’s degree in Public Management from the AIPM, University of Yaoundé II, Cameroon, as well as his fluency in English and French, position him to effectively support the organisation’s programmes across both Francophone and Anglophone Central Africa.
In his new role, Young will report to the ABER Regional Coordinator for Central Africa and will be responsible for planning, implementing and monitoring ABER projects across the region.
He will also support efforts to domesticate the African Union Africa Blue Economy Strategy 2050 (AU-ABES 2050), while advancing ABER’s programmes and objectives in Central Africa.
Other responsibilities include building strategic partnerships with governments, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), development finance institutions, non-governmental organisations and private-sector stakeholders.
He is also expected to mobilise resources, develop bankable blue economy project proposals, facilitate capacity-building programmes on blue economy governance and institutional resilience, and coordinate ABER events and communications in the region.
The appointment is for an initial two-year tenure and is renewable subject to performance, while the specific terms of engagement will be agreed with the Regional Coordinator.
ABER described the appointment as part of its efforts to strengthen its regional structures and deepen the implementation of the blue economy agenda across Africa.
The organisation is a continental networking platform focused on supporting the implementation of the African Union Africa Blue Economy Strategy 2050 and promoting practical action in the maritime and blue economy sectors.
The appointment also comes as ABER works to support the International Maritime Organisation’s World Maritime Day 2026–2027 theme, “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence.”
Commenting on the appointment, the Convener/Chief Executive Officer of ABER, Dr. Piriye Kiyaramo, said the organisation was looking forward to working with Young to advance its policy-to-practice vision in Central Africa.
“We look forward to working with him to drive ‘Policy to Practice’ vision in Central Africa,” Kiyaramo said.
