Sixteen countries* from eastern and southern Africa have resolved to make the maritime sector a central component of their national development plans, following a workshop organised by IMO in Nairobi, Kenya (8-9 October).
The countries adopted a five-point resolution under which they agreed to feature maritime matters in their United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) which will determine their national priorities for financing and support.
They also agreed to work with the United Nations Resident Coordinators and the United Nations Country Teams to ensure that the maritime sector and in particular, its national technical assistance needs, are reflected in their respective UN Cooperation Frameworks. National Authorities will contribute to the work of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG) to develop and include key performance indicators that will be used to determine the success of maritime technical cooperation activities.
The resolution recognized the work of IMO's Technical Cooperation Division and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) on developing the “Blue Economy” and the use of the Blue Economy Policy Handbook for Africa to help formulate policy.
Placing maritime activity at the heart of national development plans in Africa will help deliver the Sustainable Development Goals, which is a key strategic direction for IMO.
The workshop was hosted by the Government of the Republic of Kenya, through its State Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs.
*Angola,
Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique,
Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, South Sudan, Uganda and the United Republic
of Tanzania