Development of National Maritime Strategy Set to Boost Kenya’s Blue Economy  

Participants drawn from 18 agencies within the Kenya maritime sector took part in a two-day National Maritime Security Strategy development workshop, held in Mombasa (7-8 March 2022), and funded under the EU Port Security and Safety of Navigation project, of which the International Maritime Organization is a partner. 

“This effort will help combat illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing within and beyond the periphery of the country’s EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone); lead to the implementation of the Eastern and Southern Africa Indian Ocean Regional Accord on operation, coordination, and information exchange as well as ensure collective action by multi-stakeholders within the local maritime sector,” said Dr. Kevit Desai, Kenya’s Principal Secretary, State Department for East African Community. 

“These commitments can best be achieved through the establishment development of a National Maritime Security Strategy, he said. 

Kenya’s focus towards maritime security ensures it fulfils mandates required by Article 3 of the Jeddah Amendment to the Djibouti Code of Conduct, and shapes a stable maritime domain, in the Western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden. 

Background 

The National Maritime Security Strategy is a high-level strategic policy framework and shared vision for securing a country’s maritime domain, including its ports and territorial waters.