Kenya was re-elected under Category C in the group where 28 countries who have special interests in maritime transport or navigation were competing for the slot during the 32nd Regular Session of the IMO General Assembly on December 10th.
Kenya will now remain at the centre in making key decisions including setting global standards for maritime safety and marine environmental protection for regions’ IMO’s states.
Kenya will continue to represent a major geographic region spanning the Western Indian Ocean, East Africa and the African Great Lakes region after it was re-elected last week to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council under Category C for the 2022-2023 biennium.
Kenya was re-elected under Category C in the group where 28 countries who have special interests in maritime transport or navigation were competing for the slot during the 32nd Regular Session of the IMO General Assembly on December 10th.
Kenya will now remain at the centre in making key decisions including setting global standards for maritime safety and marine environmental protection for regions’ IMO’s states such as Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and the Island nations of Seychelles and the Comoros.
Kenya’s re-election is paramount as it ensures its representatives sits at the IMOs governing board which decides on the IMO strategy and budget, among other things.
Kenya’s High Commissioner in London, Manoah Esipisu, Maritime Principal Secretary Nancy Karigithu and the Kenya Maritime Authority Director-General Robert Njue, led a Kenyan delegation in wooing other IMO members to support the country’s re-election bid.
Ms Karigithu promised Kenya will work closely with other member States to progress pertinent maritime issues and actively participate in a wide range of IMO issues.
“Kenya’s re-election to the IMO Council comes at an opportune time when the Government has reinforced its efforts to progress the country’s Blue Economy and Maritime sector. Her re-election to the IMO Council will be of benefit to the region and the wider international maritime community and Kenya re-affirms its commitment to the work of the IMO and to the international maritime community towards the facilitation of safe, secure, efficient and sustainable shipping on clean oceans,” said Ms Karigithu.
Kenya has continued to partner with IMO in various programmes including in regional presence office for Eastern and Southern Africa which it has been active for coordination and delivery of the IMO programmes in the region.
In the election, ten countries which constitute States with the largest interest in providing international shipping services were elected in category A whereas the same number of countries were elected at Category B representing States with the largest interest in international seaborne trade.
