Kenya retains seat at IMO for 2020/2021

The members of the Council of the International Maritime Organization have supported Kenya to remain its seat in the council following the 31st Regular Session of the International Maritime Organization’s General Assembly on Friday at its Headquarters in London of the United Kingdom.

The voting in London saw 174-member states to take part and Kenya to retain its seat under Category C of 20 countries usually reserved for those with a special interest in maritime transport or navigation.

This will see the East African Nation continue to be part of the Executive Organ of IMO for the next two years 2020/21.

Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Shipping and Maritime Nancy Karigithu said Kenya has special interests in maritime transport and safe navigation as a Coastal, Port and Flag State.

She said the country has had a long sea trading tradition spanning hundreds of years, linking Asia, the Middle East and the rest of the World.

Kenya has been a member of this Organization for over forty-two (42) years and has served on the Council from 2001 and has previously served as chairman of the Technical Cooperation Committee as well as served on the Boards of the World Maritime University.

The move comes a time when Somalia and Kenya are at loggerheads over maritime boundary.

Both Somalia and Kenya are contesting ownership of a triangular territory measuring 100,000km2 in the Indian Ocean boundary.

Somalia went to court in 2014 following what it termed as failure to settle bilaterally the matter with her neighbor, Kenya.