NAIROBI-During this year’s Sustainable Blue Economy Conference which will  take place between November 26^th and 28^th at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi, one of the key contributors to successful Blue Economy is diaspora which will be discussed in depth at a diaspora side event which will take place on the 26th November at the University of Nairobi.

The output of this side event will be a Diaspora Blue Economy Plan of Action that could be considered and adopted by diaspora stakeholders to enhance the role of the diaspora for national development and global solidarity.

Kenya's Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Amb. Macharia Kamau says the diaspora side event will activate and raise awareness on how to successfully invest in resource across countries with huge blue economy.

"There is a lot of innovations and a lot of industry but a lot of it is built around their huge enormous water resources and over the years if you look at European countries they’ve built their economies on the blue economy by venturing abroad,” he told Chams Media.

Further adding that, “Diasporas also help themselves by investing back home. Most of the resources that come for example in Kenya come from a Kenyan diaspora but they are investing for themselves their relatives and so on."

The Sustainable Blue Economy Conference will be co-hosted by Kenya, Japan and Canada and will bring together delegates from economies powered largely by oceanic and marine resources worldwide. Oceans and marine resources are acknowledged to be a playing critical role in advancing sustainable development in various countries.

Blue Economy covers the productive pillar of oceans, seas, lakes, and rivers including fisheries, aquaculture, transport, tourism and other related activities.

Amb. Macharia Kamau says the conference, which will also be attended by various heads of states, will act as a motivating factor as Kenya gears towards co-hosting the United Nations Oceans Conference in 2020 in partnership with Portugal.

“We have commitments from one of the greatest blue economy protagonists, the President of the Seychelles is coming, we have prime ministers and presidents from as far away as Fiji and Samoa and the Pacific Ocean coming,” he said.

“We are part of a global family and as you know Kenya will be hosting in 2020 the United Nations Oceans Conference. We have partnered with Portugal and its actually going to take place in Lisbon in Portugal so much of what is happening here is going to feed into the United Nations process.”

The event will take place between 26^th and 28^th November 2018 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre with the diaspora event happening at Taifa Hall in the University of Nairobi on November 26^th.

Key points to note ahead of the Sustainable Blue Economy Conference

• The sustainable Blue Economy conference envisages growth and sustainable development through investments in the oceans, seas, lakes and rivers.
• The side event will focus on three Diaspora entry points into the blue economy
• The first tier: remittances which are by far, the commonest entry point.
• The second tier: leveraging on Diaspora networks for exchange and transfer of knowledge, skills and innovations.
• The third tier: promoting advocacy in support of blue economy development.
• The output will be a Diaspora Blue Economy Plan of Action that could be considered and adopted by Diaspora stakeholders to enhance the role of the Diaspora for national development and global solidarity