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Tuesday, April 4, 2023
The election for the Secretary-General will take place at IMO Headquarters on 18 July.
In summary
- Kenya secured AU recognition for Karigitu during a meeting in Lusaka, Zambia.
- Mr Karigitu is the Principal Secretary and Special Envoy for Maritime and Blue Economy at the Kenya Ministry of Shipping and Maritime Affairs.
- She played a key role in ensuring that the IMO removed the Indian Ocean from its list of high-risk areas.
Kenyan maritime expert Nancy Karigitu is the only African candidate on a list of seven candidates vying for the post of secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) announced last week by the UN specialized agency that regulates maritime transport.
Karigitu, who was recommended for the post by the African Union (AU), is seeking to succeed South Korea’s Secretary-General Kitack Lim, whose term ends at the end of this year.
Meeting at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Photo | Tony Kalumba | AFP
Since the IMO was established in 1958, Africa has yet to have the opportunity to hold the Secretary-General position.
According to a press release issued by the UN after the March 31 deadline, each of the seven IMO member states nominated a candidate, including one from Europe.
“The candidates received by the deadline for receiving nominations are: Moin Uddin Ahmed (Bangladesh), Suat Hayri Akka (Turkey), Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco (Panama), Dr Cleopatra Doumbia Henry (Dominica), Nancy Karigitu (Kenya), Minna Kivimaki (Finland) and Zhang Xiaojie (China),” an IMO statement said.
The IMO Council, at its 128th session in December 2022, approved the procedures for the conduct of the election of the Secretary-General at its next session to be held at Headquarters on 18 July.
The elected Secretary-General will take office on 1 January 2024.
Kenya secured AU recognition for Karigitu at a high-level coordination meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, putting the Kenyan leader in a strong position.
If elected, Karigitu would be the first African and first woman to hold the position at an international body that works on safety, security and environmental protection for the maritime industry.
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Root reaffirms nomination
Kenyan President William Ruto last month reaffirmed her nomination for the role, which will play a major role in implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Kenyan President William Ruto. Photo | Amanuel Sileshi | AFP
“This nomination reinforces the fact that climate change adaptation and ocean health remain key pillars of Kenya’s foreign policy. The nomination also demonstrates Kenya’s active participation in multilateral diplomacy and enhances its credibility as a leader in promoting the sustainable development of the blue economy,” Root said.
Karigitu, who is the Principal Secretary and Special Envoy for Maritime and Blue Economy at the Kenyan Ministry of State for Shipping and Maritime Affairs, announced her candidacy at the annual conference of the Women in Shipping and Trade (WISTA) International in Geneva last month and expressed optimism that other regions would support Africa, especially women leaders.
“The timing is perfect to have a female secretary-general and we will be seeking the support of the 40 IMO Council countries when they come together next year to select Lim’s successor,” she told delegates.
Karigitu’s career journey
Mr Karigitu has had a long career in the maritime industry, having held positions including Director General of the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), State Counsellor in the Office of the Attorney-General of Kenya, Senior Legal Officer in the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and later Permanent Secretary for Corporations.
After being appointed as Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Shipping and Oceans, under her watch, she drove the passage of the Merchant Shipping Act of 2009, which gave the KMA the power to regulate the maritime sector and its service providers.
Karigitu also helped Kenya achieve its spot on the IMO’s white list, a coveted title that supports countries that train seafarers capable of serving on foreign-going vessels.
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She played a key role in ensuring that the IMO issued a formal notification to member states to remove the Indian Ocean from its High Risk Areas (HRA) list, putting East African ports in a better position to attract more business in the region.
The decision to remove the Indian Ocean from the list was conveyed last week to five of the world’s largest shipping associations, which had suspended operations along the route for about a decade due to rising piracy.
The impact of this communication channel is expected to be a reduction in premium ocean freight rates from 1 January 2023, which will see more large vessels calling at the region than ever before.
She has represented the Kenyan delegation at various international maritime conferences including IMO on several occasions and in recognition of her leadership she was elected Vice Chair of the IMO Technical Cooperation Committee from 2009 to May 2015.
She currently serves on the Board of Governors of the World Maritime University based in Malmö, Sweden, and the Board of Governors of the IMO International Maritime Training Institute in Malta, and is also Vice-Chair of the International Maritime Satellite Organisation of Africa.
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