File image of Ambassador Nancy Karigithu. PHOTO | COURTESY.

With the election set for July this year, Kenyan government and African countries have already thrown their weight behind her.

Once more, it’s interesting and this calls for combined national focus so that Kenya’s candidate for the position of Secretary-General of International Maritime Organization (IMO) Nancy Karigithu nails one of the top global position that will place Kenya high.

With the election set for July this year, Kenyan government and African countries have already thrown their weight behind her.

Ambassador Karigithu’s high profile, contribution to the marine sector in Kenya and beyond for years and the respect she commands from her peers and the industry is positioning her well.

In addition, to other serious considerations including her rich experience, sterling educational background in Marine Law, gender and strong root in the marine sector, she has won international accolades and served on several bodies nationally, continentally and globally.

It will be very strategic positioning, country global branding and contribution should Kenya’s Special Envoy on Maritime and Blue Economy, Ambassador Nancy Karigithu, the former Principal Secretary for Shipping and Maritime and pioneer Director General of the Kenyaand Maritime has what it takes for the position.

Kenya, and Africa in general will ensure that the gains which have so far been made in the global shipping sector are protected, expanded and sustained within international law especially at these critical and unpredictable times in the maritime industry, post COVID-19 pandemic.

Karigithu has been consistent in championing matters relating to climate change including the decarbonisation of shipping, greening the ports, among others.

The IMO is a specialised agency of the United Nations responsible for regulating shipping established following agreement at a UN conference held in Geneva in 1948.

It’s responsible for developing and adopting measures to improve the safety and security of international shipping and to prevent pollution from ships. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 requires that countriesconserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Formed by means of the 1948 Convention on the International Maritime Organization, IMO initially focused on maritime safety and navigation. Then, in the 1960s, the world became more aware of the spillage of oil into the oceans and seas through accidents or as a result of poor operating practices.

With President William Ruto’s endorsement of her candidature and the country led by the team at the Foreign Affairs hopefully now organized and pursuing a deliberate foreign policy agenda that is aimed at placing Kenya on the global map, it requires the country including the media to support her for the position.

We need not only the position, but contribution and influence on global affairs, especially with much required of countries on adapting to the adverse climate changes.

Kenya has prioritized climate change interventions and with complaints around how Africa is missing out on global commitments on climate change and related global issues, an African getting the position at the IOM, will be a major boost.

The MFA team must reach out to other countries for support in well-organized manner and develop a functional campaign strategy so that we get the position.

The strategy must appreciate global and regional politics and leave no room for blunders, as the country stands to gain a lot in that position. Suffice to note that major global powers use foreign relations and diplomacy to position themselves at vantage points in the economic, political and cultural order at the global level.

The West, led by the US and China, appreciate that to push their agenda into the global arena and lobby to place their citizens into powerful strategic regional and global institutions, the must speak to them through the media.

The campaign must purposely include high-level use of the media, both international media and local, foreign relations and diplomacy to advance Kenya’s interest to play on the global scene as a way of positioning herself as the best candidate. Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Alfred Mutua is an expert in that- and I am sure work is going on behind the scenes – and soon we will see things.

She currently sits on the Board of Governors of the World Maritime University (WMU) and the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI). She has wide experience in operational and policy management of maritime transport and logistics, maritime safety and security, maritime education and training and marine environment protection.

Karigithu recently championed the development and adoption of the Guidelines for the Prevention and Suppression of the Smuggling of Wildlife on Ships Engaged in International Maritime Traffic, which were adopted during the 46th Session of the IMO FAL Committee held in May 2022.

In her work with IMO, Amb. Karigithu has vigorously supported gender equality and championed the balance and integration of women in the maritime sector, and in this regard was instrumental in setting up the Association of Women in the Maritime Sector in Eastern & Southern Africa (WOMESA).

She is the current Chair of the Steering Committee of the Maritime Technology Cooperation Committee for Africa (MTCC-Africa), an EU/IMO partnership set up to support capacity building programmes and activities on the reduction of Green-House Gas (GHG) emissions from the continents’ shipping sector.

Based on her dedication and service to the global maritime industry, IMO Member States elected her as chair the Technical Cooperation Committee (TCC) for three consecutive terms. As a short term legal expert for the European Union Critical Maritime Routes Project (EU CRIMARIO).

Kenyans have held global positions including Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi (Secretary-General of UNCTAD), Maina Kiai (United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association), Prof Githu Muigai (United Nations as Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance), Senator Amos Wako ( UN Human Rights Committee member), Dr. Mutuma Ruteere (UN Special Rapporteur, Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination and Related Intolerance) among others have done well in those positions.

Kenya has had a strong record in multi-laterarism and South South Triangular Cooperation, which was most recently evident in the country’s co-hostship of the 2nd UN Oceans Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, and before that with the hosting in Nairobi, Kenya, of the 1st ever Global Sustainable Blue Economy Conference which took place in November 2018.

It will be recalled that Kenya was also the first country to avail its judicial and prison systems for the trial and incarceration of pirates arrested in the waters off the coast of Somalia. Kenya has the global experience to occupy that seat.