Kenya

MOESNA Secretariat

The Maritime Organisation for Eastern, Southern, and Northern Africa (MOESNA) is a regional Intergovernmental body mandated with the Promotion, Protection, and Coordination of the Shipping and Maritime Interests of the region.

Inspired by the revised African Maritime Transport Charter (AMTC), 2010, and the African Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS), 2050 which encourage African States to organize themselves into blocks that can drive their common Shipping and Maritime Agendas,  States in Eastern, Southern, and Northern Africa, largely using the Indian Ocean as their Maritime passage for International Trade have recommitted to greater collaboration in the advancement of their maritime trade interests in a more structured, coherent, unified, and more effective manner.

Over 90% of the region’s international trade is transported by sea. Due to shared maritime bodies, facilities, multinational service providers, and overseas trading partners, and the increased shipping and Maritime challenges faced by the region, regional states do recognize the increased need for collaboration in this complex, international, high-expenditure, and capital-intensive sector.

MOESNA, originally the Intergovernmental Standing Committee on Shipping (ISCOS), was formed in 1967 by the regional states of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia to promote their shipping and maritime interests. The name change, witnessed by ministers responsible for shipping and maritime affairs from the states in Eastern, Southern, and Northern Africa, represents a commitment by these regional states to embrace unity of purpose in addressing multifaceted shipping and maritime challenges, building synergies, leveraging each other’s strengths, and setting a strategic path for the transformation of the region’s shipping and maritime sector.

The Regional States are now at various levels of formalizing their Membership to the Maritime body, with the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia having completed their processes and admitted as the 5th and 6th Members of the Organization.

Mandates for MOESNA

1. Promote International Collaboration

  • Facilitate cooperation among regional states to address technical and complex maritime issues.
  • Leverage international partnerships to enhance maritime safety, security, and environmental protection.
  • Develop mechanisms for regular dialogue and information exchange with global maritime organizations.

2. Protect Regional Interests

  • Advocate for fair policies and practices in maritime trade to protect regional interests.
  • Utilize collective interventions to counter adverse policies by multinational service providers.
  • Represent regional concerns in international maritime forums.

3. Address Common Challenges

  • Identify and address shared maritime challenges through regional collaborations.
  • Build synergies to strengthen the region’s maritime sector.
  • Develop strategies to countervail external pressures and influence.

4. Foster Regional Interdependency

  • Establish frameworks for the safe and efficient use of shared maritime bodies and facilities.
  • Harmonize maritime policies across the region to ensure seamless connectivity.
  • Promote joint management and optimization of maritime resources.

5. Pool Resources for Capital-Intensive Projects

  • Encourage joint investments in vessel ownership and maritime infrastructure.
  • Facilitate funding for regional maritime initiatives and cross-national projects.
  • Develop financial mechanisms to support large-scale maritime endeavors.

6. Combat Maritime Threats

  • Coordinate regional efforts to address maritime piracy, robbery, and other crimes.
  • Develop a unified approach to enhance maritime security.
  • Implement joint strategies to mitigate threats and ensure safe trade routes.

7. Conduct Research and Provide Expert Analysis

  • Establish an expert institution for maritime research and technical studies.
  • Generate industry-based studies and advisories to inform policy and decision-making.
  • Stay abreast of changing dynamics in shipping and international trade.

8. Harmonize Commercial Policies

  • Align the interests of land-linked and coastal states through policy harmonization.
  • Develop joint import and export policies to ensure uniformity in international trade.
  • Mitigate financial losses by coordinating efforts with overseas trading partners.

9. Promotion of Common Agendas

  • Draw inspiration from the revised African Maritime Transport Charter (AMTC).
  • Encourage regional groupings to pursue common goals and promote common agendas.
  • Support the development of the regional and African maritime economy.

10. Influence Global Maritime Dimensions

  • Advocate for greater regional representation in global maritime policy formulation.
  • Develop strategies to influence international logistics and supply chain dimensions.
  • Engage in global maritime discussions to represent regional interests effectively.

11. Enhance Maritime Connectivity

  • Promote maritime collaboration to achieve better connectivity between African states.
  • Review and harmonize cabotage regimes to support regional vessel ownership.
  • Support the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement by enhancing maritime links over rail and road options.