Kenya has won support from the Commonwealth to host the Blue Economy Summit in November. The global conference is expected to push for better exploitation of the seas for the benefit of Kenyans.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has also invited President Uhuru Kenyatta to the G7 summit in June, said his Government will co-sponsor the event.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) on Friday, President Kenyatta said Kenya seeks to consolidate its place as the go-to country for key global affairs.

“We continue to pursue our agenda to boost trade amongst Commonwealth countries, ensure greater investment to Kenya, and deliver on the values of democracy and good governance for which the Commonwealth is known,” he said.

The high-profile nature of the Blue Economy summit is similar to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial meeting and the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) which Kenya hosted in December 2015 and July 2016 respectively.

Foreign Affairs CS Monica Juma, who is with President Kenyatta in London, said Kenya recognises the untapped potential of water bodies to contribute to global economies.

“We have elected to join as champions of the Blue Charter to reverse the activities around rising temperatures. This is important as a matter of fairness and prosperity,” she said.

Apart from Kenya other champions include Belize, Sri Lanka, Vanuatu and Fiji.

Amb. Juma was speaking when she met her British counterpart Boris Johnson for talks on trade, security, tourism and the blue economy.

The blue economy is one of the main areas of focus for President Kenyatta during the CHOGM meeting which ends on Friday evening.

A statement from PSCU also revealed that the Kenyan Government is also looking to take charge of Commonwealth scholarships.

The move is aimed at bringing more efficiency in oversight after concerns were raised over its diminishing stature.

Commonwealth leaders who met during a retreat at the royal Berkshire residence on Friday agreed that there is need to improve how scholarships are administered.