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October 30, 2018 www.mygov.go.ke Verbatim NEWSFOCUS | 7 sensitise youth on Blue Economy of fishing-from the fishing vessel to the processing and delivery of products- all of which offers opportunities for wealth and job creation. One example of a blue economy initiative focused on the blue ecosystem is aquaponics, the combination of fish farming and vegetable farming. Aquaponics represents the highest growth niche in the aqua culture business, now the world’s fastest growing farming sector with an average worldwide growth rate of 6 to 8 percent and a worldwide value of $86 billion in 2009. How much can the country reap by exploiting resources available in the Blue Economy Sector? And how can this impact on the region. The ocean waters under Kenya’s dominion are estimated to be about 128,015 square kilometres, and a distance of 200 nautical miles offshore, with inland waterways estimated at 10,700 square kilometres. The Kenyan seas, oceans and inland water masses have the potential to deliver growth and jobs in the following areas: Fisheries and other fishing products; Marine aquaculture; Seabed exploitation of hydrocarbon and minerals; Seafood processing; Water desalination & bottling; Ship building and repairs; Shipchandling; Bunkering and energy trading; Day/dinner cruises; Coastal and inland waters transport; Ocean renewable energy; Marine insurance; Maritime education &training ; Yacht services marine leisure boating; Mariculture, aquaponics, seaweed farming etc; Marinebased tourism like sports fishing, dinner cruises ; Businesses and activities related to ports; Port operations and relevant industries; Shipping and logistics and commercial maritime support services Climate change, the environment and maritime security among other topics are likely to be discussed at the conference. How are these related to the Blue economy? Oceans cover over 72 % of the earth surface, 60% of which are outside the borders of national jurisdiction of any state. Being a shared resource, a transboundary perspective is important, which implies a shared international responsibility. Under the overarching UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, a number of jurisdictional rights, institutions, and specific frameworks have been set up to organise the way humans use these waters. The BE heavily depends on such global rules being followed. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the United Nations specialised agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships has a global mandate of ensuring a “safe, secure, environmentally sound, efficient and sustainable shipping through cooperation.” In line with this mandate, IMO State parties Blue Economy agenda within the African countries in particular, and globally? Developing a blue economy in the coastal and aquatic areas, both in Kenya as well as on the continent of Africa, requires public and private sector partnerships. The development of new partnerships among stakeholders within and across countries, regions, sub-regions, international agencies and the private sector to facilitate greater flows of expertise, finance, and capacity to effectively close the gap in the sustainable management of both fisheries and non-living ocean resources. The private sector, in particular, will need to come forward. Diversification into the BE sectors and sub sectors is therefore one of the basic expectations from the conference. One of the mechanisms of cooperation will be in the areas of ocean studies as well as scientific exploration and exploitation of sea-based resources, both for sustainable development and economic purposes. Such cooperation will enhance collaboration and commercial benefits from such areas as the export of human resources, expertise and technology as well as the country’s access to ocean-based resources in cooperation with like-minded states. Cooperation in the BE also provides for sharing of expertise and technology as well as boost domestic innovation in ocean research and technology. For example, the whole value chain have an obligation to ensure that they put in place measures for regulating human conduct that impact on the marine environment to ensure sustainable development of the maritime sector. IMO, like most international organisations is a regulatory agency and has no enforcement powers. Further, due to sovereignty of States, IMO cannot within its administrative mandate implement its goals and objectives relating to sustainable development. Consequently, this is done by State parties themselves; usually under the management, oversight and coordination of maritime administrations (read Kenya Maritime Authority) in individual States as well as by bilateral and multilateral cooperation between IMO member States. Coastal tourism is the largest market segment in the world economy, comprising 5 % of the global GDP and about 7% of global employment. However marine and coastal tourism has brought with it increased greenhouse gas emissions, pollution and marine debris. Marine debris, plastic materials and micro plastics threaten the integrity of marine food chains. Documented dead marine zones now number over 405 covering an area of over 240,000km2. Mitigation and adaptation must be enhanced to provide increased support for emergency preparedness and disaster response, as well as early warning systems, observations and coastal planning and management. What should we expect to see as outcomes of the Conference? Strong Strategic Partnerships. The Conference provides an opportunity to forge technological, scientific, social, political governance, fiscal and economic partnerships, based on development goals relevant to each country and region, based on international consensus. Ideas on an integrated, participatory, multisector, coherent and yet international approach to exploit the Blue Economy are required. This conference could generate such ideas. The conference will provide an opportunity to harness cutting edge technologies, sciencebased ideas and international experiences in the Blue Economy sector. The conference could also contribute to building consensus on the sound management of ocean resources, especially those beyond Exclusive Economic Zones and beneath international waters. This could lead to the further refinement of international law and other ocean governance mechanisms. A decisive role in climate change mitigation. Kenya should take a leading role in focussing international attention on this important area. The conference could be a precursor further development of policies, legislation, infrastructure and incentives to facilitate faster and transition to low carbon economies in the Blue Economy sector. Developing a blue economy in the coastal and aquatic areas, both in Kenya as well as on the continent of Africa, requires public and private sector partnerships. The development of new partnerships among stakeholders within and across countries, regions, sub-regions, international agencies and the private sector to facilitate greater flows of expertise, finance, and capacity to effectively close the gap in the sustainable management of both fisheries and non-living ocean resources. - Nancy Karigithu

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