STORY: Kenya seeks China's partnership to boost blue economy
SHOOTING TIME: July 6, 2024
DATELINE: July 7, 2024
LENGTH: 0:02:15
LOCATION: Nairobi
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the blue ocean conference
2. SOUNDBITE (English): SALIM MVURYA, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs

STORYLINE:

Kenya is seeking to enhance its partnership with China in order to boost its blue economy, a Kenyan government official said Wednesday.

Salim Mvurya, the cabinet secretary for the Kenyan Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, told Xinhua that the blue economy sector currently accounts for 2.5 percent of the country's economy.

"Kenya is looking for international partners including China in order to develop fisheries and maritime infrastructure," Mvurya said on the sidelines of the two-day Blue Invest Africa 2024 conference that concluded on Thursday in Kwale, a coastal county in Kenya.

The two-day event gathered more than 200 investors, entrepreneurs and development partners and senior government officials from 36 countries across Africa to review ways to boost the blue economy in the continent.

Mvurya said that the country's blue economy remains below its potential due to years of underinvestment by both public and private sectors, and there is heavy reliance on artisan fisherfolk for the exploitation of marine and inland fisheries resources, resulting in limited revenues from the sector.

The East African nation is also seeking cooperation with China to equip its coast guard with modern equipment to boost its search and rescue operations in the deep oceans.

Mvurya revealed that discussions are underway with the Chinese government regarding increased cooperation in marine fisheries, including the potential for allowing Chinese vessels to engage in fishing along the country's Indian Ocean coastline.

SOUNDBITE (English): SALIM MVURYA, Cabinet Secretary, Kenyan Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs
"Most of the challenges with artisanal fishermen is because they don't have vessels that can take them deep sea. Most of them are using traditional boats. So, as government, we are working with partners, and also we invite China so that we can work together in terms of improving the vessels that we give to our fishermen here. The other area is technology, especially on matters like rescue. Because you know when you are in the Indian Ocean, we need to fit the boats with the equipment that can be used for rescue."

The country is reliant on imports of fish as local production is not able to keep up with demand due to growing population and changing diets, he said, adding that the imports of fish from China help meet local demand for fisheries products in the country.

According to the Kenyan government, one avenue to reduce dependence on freshwater fish imports is through encouraging fish farming in the country. Kenya is also keen on partnering with Chinese investors who can introduce modern technology to expand the local fish farming sector.

Mvurya added that the east African nation is looking forward to signing bilateral agreements in line with China-Africa blue economy cooperation to bolster the fisheries sector's contribution to the economy.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nairobi.
(XHTV)