SPEECH BY PRESIDENT UHURU KENYATTA DURING THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF

THE 1ST NATIONAL MARITIME CONFERENCE 2015 AT KENYATTA

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE, NAIROBI ON 23RD FEBRUARY, 2015.

Mr. Koji Sekimizu, Secretary General, International Maritime Organisation,

Distinguished Delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am very pleased to join you today to open Kenyas very first National Maritime Conference. Let
me welcome all who are visiting Kenya for the first time. For those who have been here before,
Karibuni tena.

Fittingly, we are joined today by the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation. I
am glad to welcome him, for this conference has been called to consider matters of some
importance. We gather to consider how best to use the maritime bounty with which we have been
blessed, and to develop a national action plan so that every Kenyan can benefit from these great
riches.
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Kenyas maritime domain extends over 230,000 square kilometres the equivalent of about 31 of
our 47 counties. For lack of significant exploration to map these resources, it has not been possible
to fathom the full value of these treasures. This vast resource has hitherto lain untapped by
Kenyans. Even worse, these 31 counties have been left open to illegal and criminal exploitation,
as well as environmental degradation, because we have invested too little in surveillance,
monitoring and enforcement.

We neither know, nor properly protect, the riches with which we have been favoured. This must
change. This will change. One principal aim of our gathering today is to begin the development of a
clear national plan, the better to harness the potential of our Blue Economy.

My Government fully appreciates the opportunity. That is why we began by giving special attention
to maritime activities that fell into two categories: infrastructure and human-resource development.

The infrastructure statistics speak for themselves to choose just one, Mombasa handled a historic
1 million containers of cargo in 2014. Our investment, I am pleased to say, has already begun to
bear fruit.

And once the International Maritime Organisation honoured us with recognition as an international
trainer, my Government was quick to develop a curriculum that has since been used to train
maritime experts. We are as keen to develop our peoples skills as we are to build the infrastructure
that supports them.
Ladies and Gentlemen,

For all our own work, we accept that no nation, standing alone, can realise the potential of its
waters. That is why we remain so committed to the International Maritime Organisation. We expect
that it will continue to play a central role in securing to Africa the benefits of its maritime resources,
while ensuring that that the global maritime system is safe, secure and supports the global economy.

It is for that same reason that the African Union formulated the African Maritime Transport Charter
--- later adopted by the Summit in 2010. The Charter recognises that matters relating to Africas
oceans and waterways are interlinked, and that maritime policy must, therefore, be developed
coherently.

In turn, the coherence we need requires closer cooperation, and effective co-ordination of all
maritime policy at the different decision-making levels, whether national, regional or continental.

The charter was itself an important first step in this coordination of policy, which is why Kenya
ratified it, and why my Government is fully committed to its implementation.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Indeed, Kenya has begun to realise the vision of the African Union. Our investments in port, road
and rail infrastructure development, whose aim is the seamless flow of cargo from our ports to our
homes and businesses, show our commitment to the cause.
Given that the maritime industry is the carrier of 92% of our international trade by volume, and
given the importance of international trade to our prosperity, the choice of investment was prudent
too.
With the discovery of large reserves of vital resources both in Kenya and the region, that trend is
sure to gather force. As a coastal state in a fast growing region, Kenya is extraordinarily well placed
to make the most of it.

I expect, then, that this conference will give us a coherent national plan, the better to ensure that all
of Kenya shares in these maritime riches. I also hope that you will identify opportunities within the
maritime sector for our young people more than the jobs and wealth the sector will yield, it
promises also to be a driver of the self-sufficiency that our youth rightly aspire to.

If we to capture the opportunities that the maritime sector presents, especially for job creation, it is
clear that we must focus on training our young people in maritime trades.
Special attention must be paid to education and training, so that our skills match the infrastructure
we are building. Here, let me explicitly invite the private sector to partner with us in hastening the
provision of world-class maritime training, so that Kenyas young people can take their rightful
place in the region and the world.

We ourselves will not be idle. I am sure the Ministry responsible for education will establish a
centre of excellence at one of the public universities, that will provide specialized training for the
maritime industry.

To this end, I direct the Cabinet Secretaries responsible for Transport, Labour, Education and the
National Treasury to put in place the necessary measures.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me now reiterate Kenyas support for the International Maritime Organisation in. My
Government will continue to support IMO in its quest to develop and maintain a comprehensive
regulatory framework for shipping.
We will make certain that Kenya maintains and upholds the highest international standards in
international shipping, and we will play a full part in the work of the organisation.
I must also thank Secretary General Mr Koji Sekimizu for the support he has given Africa and
indeed Kenya. We are grateful for the support he lent in the development and implementation of the
Djibouti Code of Conduct, under whose guidance piracy in the Indian Ocean was brought under
control.

Mr Secretary General, as you complete your term I would like to thank you for your personal
interest in strengthening and developing the African maritime sector. Your presence here today is
testament to your dedication to Africa.

You will go down in history as one the principal contributors to the renaissance of Africas maritime
sector.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As I close, let me say that the abiding lesson of modern economic history is that the globalization of
the world economy means that countries which pursue inward looking self-sufficiency will fail to
capture the enormous potential that open interaction with other nations brings.
My Government remains committed to working openly with the global community to make our
world safer and more prosperous for all. The maritime sector provides a fine opportunity for us to
prove our commitment these principles.
I therefore wish delegates fruitful deliberations and I look forward to being briefed on the outcomes,
and, more importantly, the action plans.

Thank you. God bless you.