Panel 1: Protecting the high seas and guaranteeing their safety and security: what are the strategic stakes for Uganda? (French Embassy)
Geographically landlocked, Uganda its depends on the seas for its supplies, as much as any other in East Africa. The country has a strategic interest in getting involved in regional cooperation initiatives on maritime safety and security, in order to secure the maritime trade routes that are crucial to its economy, like the Suez Canal and the Gulf of Oman. The fight against piracy off the coast of Somalia and the protection of maritime infrastructures are key priorities for ensuring a stable environment for trade and regional development.
At the same time, Uganda has an environmental interest in ratifying and following the negotiations of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) treaty on the protection of marine biodiversity. Adopted in 2023, this international treaty aims to protect marine biodiversity on the high seas by reinforcing the obligations of States to conserve marine ecosystems. This agreement is a true example of international cooperation to ensure equitable sharing of the benefits from the use of marine resources.
This panel will address the challenges of protecting the high seas and ensuring their safety and security, focusing on the role Uganda can play in regulating the seas and protecting its strategic maritime access routes. It will highlight regulatory mechanisms to combat terrorism at sea and regional initiatives to regulate sensitive maritime and fluvial zones. In the context of the Third United Nations Conference on the Oceans to be held in France in June 2025, this panel will strengthen understanding of the BBNJ treaty, which is expected to come into force on this occasion, and will discuss the opportunities related to the protection of marine biodiversity to ensure equitable access and fair sharing of benefits.
- Session Type: Keynote Address
- Time: 9:30 am
- Venue: Yusuf Lule CTF building at Makerere University ( Broadcasted)
Meet the Panelists
Moses Egaru
Country Representative, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Uganda
Dr. Sonia Le Gouriellec
Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Catholic University of Lille
Emmanuel Kasimbazi
Professor of Law at the School of Law, Makerere University
James Watson Mawa
Principle Maritime Training Officer, Ministry of Works and Transport