By Aoma Keziah,
The Maritime Organization for Eastern, Southern, and Northern Africa (MOESNA) is hosting a two day stakeholders’ workshop in Nairobi, focusing on the development of hydrographic services across the Great Lakes Region. The forum brings together regional experts, government officials, industry players, and international partners to discuss ways of enhancing maritime safety, security, and environmental sustainability through improved hydrographic capabilities.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, Mr Julius Segera, Director Shipping and Maritime representing the Principal Secretary, State Department for shipping and Maritime Affairs Aden Millah, stated that Africa is blessed with a rich and dynamic inland waterways network in addition to an expansive coastline.
“ The great Lakes Victoria, Tanganyika, Malawi/Nyasa, Albert, Edward, Kivu, Turkana and others are more than just geographical landmarks. They are economic lifelines, cultural heritage corridors, and environmental treasures that sustain tens of millions of people across Eastern, Southern, and Central Africa,” he said.
He further emphasized that these critical water bodies remain largely underutilized and underexplored, particularly in the context of modern hydrographic surveying and nautical charting.
They remain largely underutilized and Underexplored, while they support significant volumes of fishing, trade, and transportation, the true scale of their economic potential remains untapped, primarily due to outdated charts, inadequate hydrographic capacity and poor navigational infrastructure,” highlighted Mr. Segera.
Held under the theme “Charting the Future: Strengthening Hydrographic Services in the Great Lakes Region,” the workshop aims to bridge regional gaps in maritime mapping and data, which are essential for safe navigation, environmental protection, and the support of economic activities such as fisheries, transport, and infrastructure development.
“I want to take this opportunity to appeal to the region that cooperation is the way to go, especially in the shipping and marketing sector. It’s not competition. Competition is when we have to have issues at the micro level. I’m aware that even those who are competing need to work together and cooperate, let’s turn down the number competition, because at the end of the day, serving our people and growing our economies forms the most priority of our jurisdiction,” urged Mr. Kassim Mpaata, Secretary General MOESNA.
One of the major highlights of the workshop is the introduction of modern hydrographic survey practices and the potential application of hydrographic products. Participants are exploring how these tools can support multisectoral development while ensuring environmental stewardship.
The MOESNA Secretary General further emphasized the growing importance of hydrographic services in regional development.
“As trade and transport intensify across our inland waterways, the need for accurate and up to date hydrographic data becomes even more critical, this workshop is not just about technology, it is about empowering our region to manage its maritime resources more effectively,” added Mr Mpaata.
Representatives from the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) are also taking part in the event, sharing insights on global best practices and the organization’s role in building capacity across Africa. The IHO’s involvement underscores the growing collaboration between African regional bodies and international institutions in strengthening maritime governance.
Delegates from Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda , Congo, Ethiopia, Burundi Botswana and Malawi both physical present and virtually connected will be also having discussions touching on data sharing frameworks, training needs, institutional coordination, and investment opportunities in the hydrographic sector.
This two day workshop is expected to culminate in the adoption of a joint framework for advancing hydrographic services in the Great Lakes Region, with the aim of aligning efforts with continental and global maritime development goals.
