SPEECH BY ENG. M.S.M.

KAMAU, CBS, CABINET SECRETARY,

MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE, REPUBLIC OF
KENYA AT THE DJIBOUTI CODE OF CONDUCT MINISTERIAL
MEETING AT IMO HEADQUARTERS - 30
TH
MAY, 2014
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It is a great honour for me to take part at this Ministerial Meeting on the
Djibouti Code of Conduct and I am pleased to take this opportunity to thank
the IMO for organizing the forum which is key in charting the way forward
for the future of the Management of the Code. Allow me also to take
cognizance of the role that the IMOs !roject Implementation "nit has
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played in coordinating the acti#ities under the Code. Its key role in the
establishment of the Djibouti $egional %raining Centre and the three
information sharing centres of which Mombasa $egional Maritime $escue
Coordination Centre &M$CC' has continued to ser#e in the repression of
piracy and armed robbery against ships in the (estern Indian Ocean and the
)ulf of Aden cannot be taken for granted. Continuing to work in close
collaboration with other regional and international agencies with a similar
mandate has been pi#otal in achie#ing the programme we are meeting here
to re#iew.
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*enya supports the rebuilding of +omalia maritime administrati#e structures.
*enya participated in the IMO (orkshop on the setting up of the +omali
Maritime Administration in Addis Ababa in April ,-./. (ith the successful
reduction in piracy0 perhaps the time is ripe for us to re#iew the scope of the
Code to encompass a comprehensi#e approach to maritime security in the
region. (e appreciate that the situation has been contained by the presence
of the na#al forces in the affected area. Moreo#er the role of the *enya
Defence 1orces from October ,-.. has also contributed immensely in the
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suppression in that there has not been a single successful incidence of
piracy within the waters off the (estern Indian Ocean since the *enya
2a#y gained sea control of the pre#iously pirate infested waters of the
Indian Ocean. My comment takes cognizance of amongst others0 the
continued disco#ery of off3shore resources in the (est Indian Ocean which
is likely to lead to emergence of new challenges4 the strategic importance of
the Indian Ocean &IO' and the importance of the sea lines of
communication4 the fact that !iracy is merely contained and we may see an
insurgence if stability in +omalia is not maintained4 the impact of maritime
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insecurity on port security4 as well as smuggling and human trafficking all
of which continue to pose a real security threat for the region.
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5nsuring the security of the (est Indian Ocean is beyond the capacity of any
e6isting regional body acting alone hence decisions that we shall make as a
region on the future of the Djibouti Code of Conduct are therefore critical to the
maintenance of this balance and which should fit into a region3wide strategy for
maritime security.
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%oday we are re7uired to make decisions which will shape the destiny of our
region with regard to the suppression of piracy and the future of the Djibouti
Code of Conduct. %his will re7uire strong political will and political
commitment from all of us within the region to gi#e the necessary political
support to implement our decisions. 5#en as we transition the Djibouti Code of
Conduct to regional ownership0 we should recognize that the framework
therefore places before us a uni7ue position to ha#e a maritime security
mechanism that can take care of the entire region as no country in the region is
capable of de#ising a solution alone.
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In order for such a strategy to work0 a number of measures would need to be
taken. (e already ha#e structures such as the information sharing centres which
will need to be strengthened with more emphasis on information sharing and
capacity for systematic coordination in counter3piracy operations among
countries of the region. 2ational focal points will ha#e to play a greater role in
order to de#elop a dynamic network of information sharing. (e therefore need
to establish areas and issues of complementarity and con#ergence between the
needs and interests to consolidate our role in the maritime domain. %ogether we
can build on the foundations that already e6ist0 and despite our institutional
differences we can draw inspiration from this to ad#ance on our agenda.
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I encourage all of us to agree and chart a way forward on the future of the
Djibouti Code of Conduct noting that the challenges that led to its formation still
e6ist. Indeed we need to make commitments on implementation on the
proposals that will emerge on the way forward which may entail sacrifices as
the option to do nothing will worsen the issues of piracy and related maritime
security. A consensus approach combined with solidarity and tolerance will
therefore be e6tremely important for the future of the Djibouti Code of Conduct
in identifying deli#erables that will enhance our future cooperation.
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I wish to confirm *enyas commitment to the security of the region. (e ha#e
come a long way since the adoption of the Djibouti Code of Conduct. %he
efforts that countries of the region ha#e made towards fighting piracy and
promotion of maritime security under the framework are commendable. 8et us
take concrete and deliberate steps as we mo#e forward.
I look forward to an interacti#e engagement and I thank you for your attention.
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