Indonesia has spotlighted the potential of Asia-Africa partnerships in shaping the future of Kenya’s maritime sector during the ongoing Blue Economy Summit in Mombasa. The four-day event, taking place at Prideinn Resort Hotel from September 23–26, 2025, has attracted more than 1,200 participants, including government officials, startups, and international development partners.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of Indonesia’s Ambassador to Kenya, Minister Counsellor Wisnu Lombardwinanto underscored Indonesia’s commitment to fostering sustainable blue economy initiatives. He noted Indonesia’s leadership roles in global maritime platforms, including the Indian Ocean Rim Association, ASEAN, and the International Maritime Organization.
“As an archipelagic nation with over 17,000 islands, Indonesia has placed the blue economy at the heart of its development strategy,” said Lombardwinanto. “We continue to champion solutions for sustainable ocean governance, fisheries management, and combating illegal fishing through international frameworks.”
Indonesia has also pioneered innovative financing tools such as sovereign green sukuk, blue bonds, and blended finance to support marine conservation and ocean-related projects. In addition, the country developed a Blue Economy Development Index to track progress.
For Kenya, the summit comes at a pivotal moment. Despite vast maritime opportunities across its 21 coastal and lake counties, the sector faces a critical skills gap. Maritime expert Sabrina Jefwa stressed that most young people lack access to internationally recognized training and equipment such as maritime simulators, which are vital for global certification.
“The Technical and Vocational Education Authority (TVETA) needs to align training programs with international maritime standards to unlock opportunities,” she noted, adding that policy misalignments also limit Kenya’s competitiveness in port operations and crew certification.
Lombardwinanto highlighted that Indonesia has already delivered ten capacity-building programs in Kenya over the past three years and pledged further cooperation in fisheries, eco-tourism, coastal village development, and renewable ocean energy projects under South-South collaboration.
As the summit progresses, stakeholders hope that Asia-Africa maritime partnerships can bridge Kenya’s skills gap while advancing sustainable blue economy growth.
