Engagement of stakeholders in the marine/maritime spatial planning process

Abstract

The paper is built around a comparison of the engagement of stakeholders in the maritime/marine spatial planning (MSP) process in Namibia – a country just starting the process in the African continent - and EU Baltic Sea region countries, most of which are very advanced with regard to MSP and well-known due to the progress achieved. The paper briefly clarifies various nuances related to stakeholder engagement and related key terms and provides a broad picture of reasons for stakeholder engagement, related costs and benefits and various institutional or administrative frameworks frequently used to this end. The overall conclusion is that stakeholder engagement is among the key factors of MSP success regardless of the level of prosperity of the country or advancement of the MSP process. It requires a conscious approach, preferably including the preparation of a stakeholder engagement strategy, or a continuous process of capacity building of MSP stakeholders, even done outside the formal MSP process (i.e. decoupled from a formal MSP effort). Practice is more important than formal declaration of intentions or rules prescribed by law. However, having said that one should keep in mind that such engagement should be designed and programmed in line with a planning culture, the existing experience and understand government proceeded and the key values of a given society.