Nancy Karigithu, PS, State Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs. PHOTO | COURTESY
The Kenyan Permanent Secretary for Shipping and Maritime
Affairs Nancy Karigithu spoke with Fred Oluoch about use of marine
resources in the region.
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From
the Nairobi conference, it is clear that developing the Blue Economy
needs global co-operation. How can East Africa ensure that it is not
left behind?
East African countries have no
choice but to join the new trend because 90 per cent of international
trade in the region happens through shipping and particularly through
the ports of Mombasa and Dar es Salaam.
The maritime
industry is an all-inclusive sector because it is the different sectors
of the Blue Economy that develop our national economies.
The
efficiency of international trade affects the gross domestic product of
the region and is at the heart of the socio-economic fabric.
So, what is the current picture of the Blue Economy in
the region in terms of resource potential and infrastructure for its
exploitation and security?
We are blessed with an abundance of water bodies whose potential have not been optimised.
We
still had to improve the infrastructure in marine transport and
fishing, and logistics because there are areas that have the potential
of creating thousands of jobs for the youth who are the majority of the
population .
The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,
not make a distinction between sea-facing and landlocked countries, and
East Africa must adopt a Blue Economy mindset that will make us
optimally use of all the water bodies that include the ocean, lakes,
navigable rivers and even dams.
Despite being
on the eastern seaboard and having lakes and rivers, maritime transport
is almost non-existent, with a few derelict vessels that are prone to
accidents. What can be done to ensure safety of the marine transport,
especially on Lake Victoria?
Marine security and safety are at the heart of a Blue Economy.
We
cannot talk about a Blue Economy until we put the structures in place
to ensure that our maritime transport is safe for passengers and for the
conservation of the marine environment.
We are talking
about putting institutional marine structures in place that will make
sure that before vessels go out into the waters, there is enough
capacity on land to inspect them, ensure that the people manning these
vessels are trained to international standards and that there is
capacity for a quick rescue in case of an accident.
This will take enormous resources and that is why we are inviting the participation of the private sector.
How
are countries in East Africa dealing with pollution in water bodies
from plastic bags, oil spills, agricultural and industrial affluent?
If
you recall, one of the big components of this conference was that top
cities have to incorporate policies and structures and to be able to
manage affluent and waste that are going into the oceans.
In
Kenya, we have been working closely with county governors to reduce the
amount of affluent that goes into water bodies in their counties.
For
shared international waters, we have international conventions that are
geared towards ensuring that waste does not go into the oceans and seas
whether it is plastic or oil spills in case of shipping accidents.
Should
oil spills occur due to accidents, we should be in a position to clean
up as fast as possible. Oil spill contingency plans are at national,
regional and international levels, where countries can call for external
help when in need.
Kenya is developing the
Integrated National Marine Policy. How can it be regionalised given that
it touches on shared marine resources?
Whatever we are doing in Kenya in terms of policy is informed by existing practices at regional and continental level.
This is where the African Union comes into play because it is well articulated at the continental level.
If
you look at the African Integrated Maritime Strategy, African Maritime
Transport Charter, Agenda 2063, all are looking towards encouraging
African states to have a Blue Economy mindset — come up with shipping
lines, strategies that address maritime safety, security and all other
aspects.
We want to develop as one region because it is
the only way we can benefit. For example, the Africa Continental Free
Trade Area cannot work unless we leverage on the Blue Economy and
improve the maritime sector.
If not, we will continue
looking West and East for trading partners while our maritime sector
continues to be controlled by foreign shipping companies.
The trick is to develop our maritime strategies so that we can trade more with one another and reduce foreign exchange outflows.
Women
are poorly represented in the marine sector on the continent. What can
be done to ensure that they are part and parcel of a beneficial value
chain and not just recipients of final products?
Women only represent two per cent of the global maritime workforce, where they occupy the lowest and least profitable tier.
Because of its history, the maritime sector has not invested in women, let alone involving them in the decision making process.
But
these are some of the issues that we are looking at, and if you are
talking about sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development goals,
you cannot ignore gender parity.
The international
maritime community is cognisant of that and now issues that had been
dismissed by men as being simple, such as the provision of sanitary
arraignments aboard ships and separate sleeping arrangements are being
addressed.
But once the new law, the Maritime Labour
Convention, 2006 — is fully implemented, it will force ship owners to
provide an environment that will encourage young women to pursue
maritime professions and protect them from sexual harassment and
violence aboard ships.
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