This archive report was first published on 1 December 2019.
Published on December 1, 2019, Kenya has secured its seat on the Council of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), a UN agency that plays a crucial role in shaping global shipping rules.
The country's retention of the seat, which was announced on Friday evening in London, gives Kenya a chance to continue influencing maritime transport and navigation globally.
Kenya was re-elected under Category C, a group of 20 countries with special interests in maritime transport or navigation. In Africa, Morocco, South Africa, Liberia, and Egypt are the other members of this category.
Kenya's strategic location along the Eastern Africa coast makes it a vital player in global shipping, according to Maritime Principal Secretary Nancy Karigithu. She led the delegation to the polls and expressed her gratitude for the country's re-election.
"Our re-election to Council will ensure continued representation of a major geographic area in Eastern Africa and the Great Lakes region consisting of the countries Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda," she said.
Kenya's High Commissioner to the UK, Manoah Esipisu, who is also the Permanent Representative to the IMO, welcomed the vote result, saying it confirms the world's confidence in Kenya's leadership in maritime transport and safety.
"It confirms the world's confidence on our leadership around maritime transport and safety, and our commitment to the Blue Economy," he said.
Kenya has been a member of the IMO since 1973 and has been re-elected to the Council under Category C in 2001 and subsequent elections, including the last one in 2017.
Despite heavy lobbying, Kenya managed to retain its seat, while some other countries, including Sweden, Nigeria, and Liberia, lost their bids. Qatar and Saudi Arabia also failed to secure a seat on the Council.
