Kenya in the region
Kenya plays a crucial role in the Eastern and Central African maritime sector and maritime trade, by hosting in Mombasa, the secretariats of the following three sub-regional organizations that are very active in dealing with maritime issues:
- Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa (PMAESA) – with fourteen (14) member countries. PMAESA has observer status with IMO and has been playing a major role in the implementation of port and maritime security programs to ensure compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code by the regions ports as well as marine pollution prevention programs.
- Intergovernmental Standing Committee on Shipping (ISCOS) comprises four (4) members States, namely Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia.
- Northern Transit Transport Co-ordinating Authority (NTTCA) – of five (5) member States. NTTCA oversees the facilitation of transit traffic of international trade for Uganda, Northern Tanzania, Southern Sudan, Southern Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo and is therefore key to the continued growth in the economies of these countries. The NTTCA is thus crucial to the implementation of the Facilitation of Maritime Traffic Convention, 1965.
Kenya and the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA)
Kenya is also a member of the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA). The Association brings together all African Maritime Administration Authorities to address issues of common interest in Africa’s maritime sector in line with Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy (2050 AIM Strategy) and Agenda 2063 on maritime safety, security, infrastructure, management and sustainable resource utilization which provides a good platform for the continent to progress its ambitions to develop the blue economy.
Kenya and the Indian Ocean Memorandum of Understanding (IOMOU)
Kenya is a committed member of the Indian Ocean Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (IOMOU). The country continues to cooperate with Member States to enhance the region’s maritime safety infrastructure, as well as requirements in accordance with the international maritime conventions to keep away sub-standard ships from the region.