• Kenya, situated at the Western edge of the Indian Ocean and a gateway to Africa, is Japan’s key partner in promoting FOIP and the blue economy.
• To support Kenya’s efforts to promote maritime security, Japan has provided 17 patrol boats to the Kenya Coast Guard Service in 2019.
Image: DPPS/TWITTER
On my recent visit to the Kenyan coast, I found myself pausing to reflect on why so many tourists from all over the world travel to Kenya every year for a seaside vacation.
There are many beaches all over the world. And I have seen many of them personally in the course of my career as a diplomat.
But there is something unique and special about the Kenyan sea and sky: The Kenyan sunny beaches and the whole ambience of the Kenyan coast. That is what I was reflecting on, and silently agreeing with the many tourists who come here that this is indeed a wonderful place to spend a vacation.
However, I was not at the Coast to relax and enjoy myself. Rather I was there to forward my country’s development agenda with Kenya as one of our key partner states, under the vision of the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”.
So, what exactly is this concept of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific?
Well, in recent years, the vision of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” proposed by Japan, has been attracting growing support and endorsement from the international community.
FOIP aims at promoting the rule of law and freedom of navigation in the seas, free from force or coercion, and seeks economic prosperity by promoting connectivity between Africa and Asia.
In 2016 here in Nairobi, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe explained the concept to the African leaders in his address to the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development. From the outset Kenya supported FOIP, and in 2018, the country organised the First Sustainable Blue Economy Conference in Nairobi in partnership with Japan, which provided $3 million for this purpose.
Currently, the international community is facing various challenges such as the impact of post-Covid-19 pandemic, Russian aggression against Ukraine, and global risks such as climate change and maritime security. As reflected in countries’ position on the Russian aggression against Ukraine, a guiding perspective of the global community for the next era is uncertain. Under such circumstances, FOIP is all the more relevant as a concept that will lead us to move in the direction of cooperation rather than confrontation, and respect for “diversity, inclusiveness and openness.”
This is why Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who also attended Ticad-6 in Nairobi seven years ago as the Foreign Minister announced Japan’s New Plan for a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific in March 2023.
The New Plan further clarified the FOIP vision, added an additional pillar of cooperation to address shared challenges such as climate change, food security, global health, and cyber-security, and pledged more than $75 billion in public and private funding for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. Under the New Plan, Japan will also establish a new framework for assistance to armed forces and other organizations of like-minded countries to enhance maritime security.
Kenya, situated at the Western edge of the Indian Ocean and a gateway to Africa, is Japan’s key partner in promoting FOIP and the blue economy. To support Kenya’s efforts to promote maritime security, Japan has provided 17 patrol boats to the Kenya Coast Guard Service in 2019.
On April 19, I was in Mombasa to hand over to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua accompanied by Mining and Blue Economy CS Salim Mvurya, two high-speed patrol boats and four rigid-hull inflatable boats for use by the Kenya Fisheries.
The vessels costing $2.3 million in total, will contribute to enforcement against IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishing in the Kenyan waters and help promote fishery and maritime security.
A Japanese expert is supporting administration of fisheries in the seas.
On maritime transport, Japan has supported large-scale infrastructure development of the Mombasa Port. Our assistance has already led to a huge increase in cargo handled at the Port.
According to one source, as a result of dedicated efforts by the KCGS together with the support of donor countries, IUU fishing in Kenyan seas have been reduced dramatically. Despite such progress, there is much room for improvement in the way seas off the coast of Kenya could be managed.
For example, a study indicates that about 150,000 to 300,000 tonnes per year of tuna could be harvested sustainably within the Exclusive Economic Zone of Kenya.
However, it is estimated that only one-tenth of this is being caught, mostly by foreign fishing vessels and with the possibility of some IUU fishing activities. There is a need to comprehensively address the lack of infrastructure and capacity in all areas related to the ocean fishing industry.
In addition, there are still many vessels suspected of engaging in harmful activities off its coast such as smuggling including human trafficking, piracy, terrorism, and waste dumping. Although the precise damage cannot be calculated, it is certain that these activities cause economic and other damage to Kenyan interests.
With the objective of promoting understanding on FOIP and the current situation off the Kenyan coast along with possibilities for future actions, the Embassy of Japan organized a FOIP symposium inviting government officials and donor representatives on February 28.
Along with Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kenji Yamada and myself, the high-level participation of the Kenyan government led by National Security Adviser Monica Juma and Foreign Affairs PS Korir Sing’oei reflected the keen interest of our two governments on this matter.
Having attended the meeting, I appreciated how the Kenyan officials shared the importance of rule of law and freedom of navigation; call for more cooperation not competition to address shared challenges; and the need for East Africa to look towards the Indian Ocean for markets.
On development and connectivity, the need to reinforce the competitiveness of Kenyan ports vis-à-vis other ports in the region was raised in order for Kenya to benefit from more trade in the Indo-Pacific.
On the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone now under construction by Japan, incentives to investors and its possible environmental impact were discussed among other issues.
The importance of maritime security was an important theme. The participants highlighted the need for regional cooperation between states as well as different authorities within the government. On several topics, many suggested the lack of capacity, an aspect that Japan attach particular importance, and need for support from other countries.
As one of the first meeting on FOIP in Africa, the symposium succeeded in promoting a better understanding of the importance of FOIP and the potential of the blue economy among Kenyan officials and academics, etc. As mentioned above, Kenya has yet to unlock the potential of the blue economy. Promoting international cooperation based on FOIP is the key to such efforts.
As Japan and Kenya celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations this year, FOIP will serve as a catalyst for our future cooperation.
I look forward to taking the discussion further to promote the rule of law and maritime security, address shared challenges, facilitate connectivity and development in Kenya and the region.
The writer is the Japan Ambassador to Kenya