Namibia And Seychelles Leaders To Attend Blue Economy Conference

Seychelles leader Danny Faure and Mr Hage Geingob at 28th AU Assembly, Addis Ababa.  President Danny Faure and Namibia’s Hage Geing...

Seychelles leader Danny Faure and Mr Hage Geingob at 28th AU Assembly, Addis Ababa. 

President Danny Faure and Namibia’s Hage Geingob are among foreign leaders that have confirmed participation at Kenya’s inaugural Sustainable Blue Economy Conference set to kick off on November 26. According to the Director General of the conference’s Organising Committee, Ambassador Ben Ogutu, about ten foreign leaders and over fifty ministers have confirmed attendance of the three-day event to be held at the Kenyatta International Convention Center.

The Sustainable Blue Economy Conference is the first global conference on the sustainable blue economy. Over 4,000 participants from around the world are coming together to learn how to build a blue economy that: 

• Harnesses the potential of our oceans, seas, lakes and rivers
• Improve the lives of all people in developing states and the world at large
• Leverages the latest innovations, scientific advances and build prosperity.
• Find a methodologic of conserving our water resources for future generations

Other leaders that confirmed for their attendance are Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, Congo’s Sassou Nguesso, Somali’s Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, and Fiji’s Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama. “These matters of the blue economy have got to have political goodwill and commitment to drive the process forward. The attendance of these leaders is actually a very strong statement from the leaders,” he said. Ogutu told editors on Thursday that experts and scientists will also be attending the conference which Kenya will be co-hosting with Canada and Japan. “We’ve invited luminaries in terms of speakers and experts including the Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for the Oceans on the United Nations, the Secretary-General of the African Ship-owners Association, as well as Professors,” he indicated. 

Kenya and Canada to ensure the success of the global conference, Blue Economy. 

Ogutu said a number of side events have been lined up including in the areas of climate and sustainable energy. “One of the side events will be organized by the African Union Commission in conjunction with United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). The event will focus on what strategies we have in relation with maritime security,” he pointed out. Mayors and governors of sea facing cities are also expected to attend the Sustainable Blue Economy Conference. Canada and Japan have pledged to fund for the conference to the tune of $2.906,550 million (USD) each, Canada’s support entailing a $1 million (USD) non-monetary contribution. Kenya will be seeking new partnerships in harnessing the potential of its blue economy while addressing emerging challenges including the development of a comprehensive response to ocean health during the blue economy conference. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has in the buildup to the conference engaged in intense lobbying to have countries with which Kenya has diplomatic ties with send delegations. Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Amb Macharia Kamau recently announced most of the $7.75 million (USD) budget required to host the conference had been raised after Japan joined Canada as a co-host alongside Kenya. South Africa, the United Kingdom, Norway, Portugal and Fiji have enlisted their support for the conference as co-sponsors. “The biggest opportunity that can arise is the partnerships that will be built between business-to-business, the partnerships that will be built between government-to-government to enjoin themselves onto this challenge of maximizing the opportunities of the blue economy,” Amb Kamau indicated in an earlier interview. 

According to Kamau, delegates will also discuss the existential threat an increase in plastic waste in the ocean poses. “Our conference is looking at the challenge of creating greater prosperity, the challenge of fighting poverty, the challenge of protecting the planet as we move forward and how we can bring these three together,” he said. Current estimates show about eight million metric tons of plastic are thrown into the ocean each year out of which 230,000 tons are micro-plastics. Studies also indicate a plastic waste dumped into the ocean could increase tenfold by 2020 outnumbering fish in the ocean by 2050