The Centrality of Blue Economy Resources in the Kenya-Somalia Maritime Border Dispute
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Date
2024
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Path of Science
Abstract
This study examined the centrality of blue economy resources
in the Kenya-Somalia maritime border dispute. The study begins by
conceptualising blue economy resources and then maps the blue
economy resource deposits along the disputed zone. The third section
analyses the primary blue economy resources driving the Kenya-Somalia
Maritime Border Dispute. In the fourth section, this study analyses the
interest of local actors in the Kenya-Somalia Maritime Border Dispute.
Eventually, the study concludes by evaluating the role of geopolitical
actors in the Kenya-Somalia Maritime dispute. The study was qualitative
and made use of interviews to collect descriptive data. The target
population consisted of government officials in the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, government representatives, and personnel from international
and regional development organisations. Both purposive and
snowballing sampling techniques were employed to identify informants.
This study observed that blue economy resources in the Indian Ocean
have become an increasing interest among the two states. The
discovery of hydrocarbon deposits and the prospects of
commercialising deep-sea fishing and other mineral deposits in the
region have seen increased national interest from both parties. Thus,
Kenya and Somalia have expressed interest in exploring and exploiting
the resources in the disputed maritime zone for economic reasons,
perpetuating the dispute between them. The dispute has undermined
good neighbourliness amid suspicion between the two states since
2014. Since the blue economy is considered a catalyst of economic
growth, exploitation of the same has attracted both local and
geopolitical actors who have been indirectly drawn into the dispute. This
study recommends that Kenya and Somalia should work together and
cooperate on the management of blue economy resources in the
disputed resource-rich area, which will enable the states to share oil,
gas, and hydrocarbon resources through cooperation ventures.
Similarly, local and geopolitical actors remain non-partisan in the
dispute.
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Citation
ogembo, A., & Ichani, X. F. (2024). The Centrality of Blue Economy Resources in the Kenya-Somalia Maritime Border Dispute. Path of Science, 10(8), 2001-2013. https://doi.org/10.22178/pos.107-3