Kenya, Canada to explore new opportunities for cooperation in maritime sector

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

The delegation, led by Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard, said their 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 President Uhuru Kenyatta held a meeting with the Canadian delegation to thank their country for co-hosting the ongoing Sustainable Blue Economy Conference.

President 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 Head of State 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 in cooperating 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 President Kenyatta to next year’s UNESCO General Conference.

After the meetings inside the Kenyatta International Convention Center, President 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.