Briefs & Press Releases

Kenya, Canada to explore maritime cooperation

blue

President Uhuru Kenyatta addressing delegates at the Blue Economy Governors and Mayors convention at KICC. Photo | PSCU

A Canadian delegation in Kenya for the Sustainable Blue Economy Conference today said that their country will explore new partnerships with Kenya.

The delegation led by Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard said the country is willing to work with Kenya in exploring new opportunities for collaboration in the maritime sector including maritime security.

The proposal was made when Mr Kenyatta held a meeting with the Canadian delegation to thank the country for co-hosting the ongoing Sustainable Blue Economy Conference.

Mr Kenyatta welcomed the offer by the Canadian delegation for more partnership and further urged Canada to consider working with Kenya in developing the fishing sector, where Kenya has huge but untapped potential.

The President also held a meeting with Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation, Isabella Lövin, who also congratulated Kenya for convening and hosting the blue economy conference.

President Kenyatta said the conference would act as a stepping stone towards Africa realising its potential in blue economy.

The President and the Swedish minister discussed Kenya's push to achieve the two-thirds gender representation in elective positions, the building bridges initiative and cooperation between the two countries.

The Minister said Sweden was keen to cooperate with Kenya in sectors including renewable energy and social security programmes.

The president briefed Minister Lövin on the Inua Jamii programme, a cash transfer initiative targeted at Kenyans aged over 70 years and the disabled, and invited Sweden to support the intervention.

President Kenyatta also held another meeting with UNESCO Director-General Ms Audrey Azoulay who said that they had brought to the conference a delegation of ocean scientists.

Ms Azoulay invited Mr Kenyatta to next year’s UNESCO General Conference.

After the meetings inside the Kenyatta International Convention Center, Mr Kenyatta, accompanied by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, toured exhibition stands where he interacted with the entrepreneurs in the blue economy.

The three-day Sustainable Blue Economy Conference, which started on November 26, has been attended by several Heads of State and almost 18,000 delegates.

Kenya convened the conference and co-hosted it with Canada and Japan.