The East African Community (EAC) Secretary General, Juma Mwapachu, earlier in the week revealed that negotiations to re-establish the East African marine and fisheries organization were underway.

Mwapachu was speaking in Kenya after a week long familiarization tour of defence institutions and establishments in Kenya that are involved in the EAC co-operation agreement on defence matters.

The joint EAC fisheries and marine organization existed under the former EAC (1967-1977).

Mwapachu said that the new version would involve research and development to tap the maritime and fisheries resources of the East African water bodies, both offshore and inland, for the benefit of the East African people.

Mwapachu also met with several Kenyan security officials concerned with the EAC and held wide ranging discussions about co-operation in defence policy research and development.

He further announced that joint EAC military exercises are set to take place during 2009/2010; and that the establishment of a strong EAC Directorate of Peace and Security desk is underway.

Brigadier Ngewa Mukala, the Deputy Commander of the Kenya Navy, said that the East African Indian Ocean coastline has great strategic significance and that Kenya was undertaking initiatives along with international stakeholders to safeguard the regional security and maritime interests.

The East African Indian Ocean coastline has recently seen an upsurge of violent attacks to cruise ships from Somalian pirates.

The pirates have also affected the supply of relief services to sick and starving people affected by war in Somalia .

The US along with other major powers has increased security patrol on the ocean as a result.

Mukala said that East Africa’s maritime zones remained largely untapped by the East African countries. The  resources include fisheries, oil and gas. 

The best tuna fish resources found in the Indian Ocean with Kenya having a potential of 150,000 tonnes per year, translating into 30 billion Kenya Shillings annually, however these resources are currently being exploited virtually exclusively by foreign interests.

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