Different stakeholders from the Blue Economy (BE) sectors have converged in Mombasa for a four-day knowledge and experience-sharing fair to grow the industry and learn from each other.
The event, which is organized by IGAD, the AU-IBAR, and ECOFISH, is meant to synergize and add value to knowledge the IGAD member states have on the blue economy sector in a bid to build a better continent and make the Blue Economy a reality that supports the livelihoods of the communities.
Speaking during the event’s opening, IGAD Head of Mission to Kenya, Dr. Fatuma Adan, said that IGAD member states have a great Blue Economy (BE) underutilized potential.
Adan said the traditional sectors, such as fisheries, tourism, mineral extraction, and marine and river transport capacities, while emerging sectors, such as aquaculture, marine biotechnology, and bioprospecting, desalination, and renewable energy, currently need more attention and require substantial attention in the future.
She noted that BE has a massive untapped potential and could be one of Kenya’s most significant contributors to higher and faster Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.
“For instance, innovation and growth in the coastal, marine, and maritime sector, what we witness in places like Mombasa where we are, we could deliver food, energy, transport among other products and services and serve as a foundation for sustainable development in Kenya,” she said.
She said there is a need to document and disseminate the knowledge and experiences in different BE sectors so that the African continent can learn from each other and even from outside the mainland.
“It is against this background that IGAD, AU-IBAR, and the ECOFISH program are joining forces to organize this blue economy knowledge share fair under the theme “leveraging blue economy through efficient small-scale fisheries management and aquatic biodiversity conservation to build the Africa we want,” she added.
Adan said the planned share fair would help strengthen the IGAD Secretariat’s knowledge management unit to ensure it is accessible to all member states and BE stakeholders.
She noted that the AU-IBAR and ECOFISH programs would benefit from the knowledge share fair in identifying and documenting knowledge, technology, and innovations for future scale-ups.
Council of Governors’ Chairman of the Blue Economy Issa Timamy called for collaboration and partnerships among countries in the region to ensure they share resources, promote sustainable marine and coastal resources, and embrace the commonly faced challenges.
Timamy said as governors. They have a role in ensuring they maximize the sustainable use of the blue economy resources, make efforts, adopt strategies, and transform them into opportunities.
“The focus is on developing and enhancing the counties’ capacities and resilience of those who depend on these resources. We in the region have the potential to enhance our regional integration and conserve our biodiversity. We need to form strategic partnerships to maximize all forms of cooperation for sustainable development of the blue economy sector,” he said.
He said to enhance economic growth. There is a need to promote sustainable tourism, fishery, and aquaculture, among other activities, to create jobs and generate income for our local communities.
He added that people should strive to protect marine biodiversity by promoting sustainable practices that reduce human activities impact on the ocean.
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir said that the county has a shared dedication to integrating economic development and environmental sustainability.
Nassir said that the county thrives on the wealth of its rivers, guarantees equitable access to the resources, and protects the integrity of its aquatic ecosystems from present and future generations.
“The blue economy carries extraordinary promises of untapped potentials waiting to be utilized. Small-scale fisheries are a vital source of livelihood for the coastal communities providing nourishment, income, and a sense of cultural identity,” he said.
He said the county has almost finalized converting all the beach management units into cooperatives.