On 2018-11-20, Kenya was preparing to host a global Blue Economy conference that would bring together experts, government officials and private sector players to discuss marine conservation and the sustainable use of water resources.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Macharia Kamau said the meeting would examine new technologies and innovation for oceans, seas, lakes and rivers, alongside the challenges, opportunities, priorities and partnerships tied to the sector.
“By hosting the conference, Kenya affirms its appreciation of the importance of conserving and sustainably using our oceans, seas, lakes, rivers and marine resources through enabling cooperation for shared prosperity,” he said.
The three-day event was expected to draw close to 6,000 participants from international, government and private sector institutions. Its theme was listed as “Blue Economy and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.”
Kamau described the Blue Economy as a new development frontier for Kenya, saying the country was seeking to tap the productive capacity of water resources while supporting communities in a sustainable way. He said the agenda would rest on sustainability, climate change, pollution, job creation and poverty alleviation.
The conference was also framed around sectors such as fisheries, tourism, maritime transport and off-shore mining, which Kamau said offered growth opportunities that the land economy had not delivered in the same way.
The timing of the event followed President Uhuru Kenyatta’s launch of the Kenya Coast Guard Service on Monday, a move aimed at improving protection of maritime resources. The President said the service would help guard the country’s waters against dumping of harmful wastes and pollutants, while also curbing illegal fishing.
According to UNEP, about eight million tonnes of plastic ends up in the ocean every year, a figure that underscores the pollution concerns surrounding marine conservation.
The conference was being positioned as part of Kenya’s broader push to support the 2030 agenda for sustainable development through cooperation over oceans, seas, lakes, rivers and other marine resources.
