The Kenyan Ministry Discussed Potential Cooperation for Marine Advancement during A Visit to Aruna

H.E. Hassan A. Joho, the Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs of the Republic of Kenya; Betsy Njagi, the Principal Secretary of the Department of Blue Economy and Fisheries; and their staff, visited Indonesia in mid-October 2024. The visit aimed to explore opportunities for cooperation in various sectors, particularly the blue economy and maritime industries. During the trip, the group visited Aruna on October 16, 2024. H.E. Galma Boru, the Ambassador of Kenya to Indonesia, as well as Ricardo Gita Perkasa and Ratih Y. Kombonglangi from the Africa Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also took part in the visit.

During the meeting, the Kenyan team expressed their interest in exchanging perspectives and experiences with Aruna, particularly regarding existing and future collaboration and investment opportunities. The Kenyan acknowledged that Aruna had established itself as a key player in Indonesia’s fisheries sector. Farid Naufal Aslam, the Co-Founder and CEO of Aruna, along with Elkana Lewerisa, Head of Corporate Affairs, represented the company at the meeting.

The Kenyan representatives noted that Aruna’s business model was relatively new. “The approach emphasizes downstream operations that are integrated with upstream processes. This strategy aims to promote community development across nearly 31 provinces in Indonesia. While it may seem like a simple initiative, it requires significant time and effort to implement. This is what we hope to adopt from Aruna. Additionally, we invite Aruna to explore the fisheries sector in Kenya and to learn about our potential in both marine fisheries and aquaculture,” explained Hassan.

Kenya was committed to deepening the importance of sustainability practices and the economic benefits for coastal communities. According to a report from the United Nations website, the country implemented the Fisheries Management and Development Act of 2016, which regulated illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing while promoting the conservation, management, and development of aquatic resources for the livelihoods of its people. This aligned closely with PERMEN-KP No. 39 of 2019 and reflected Aruna’s perspective. “It is essential to unite our efforts and support one another for the sake of proper and ethical practices in ocean exploration,” Hassan emphasized.

After the meeting, Farid said, “We are honored to host representatives from the Kenyan Blue Economy Department. We are eager to share our experiences in managing fish resources using a socio-economic and environmentally-based approach. Aruna looks forward to the potential for further cooperation between Aruna and Kenya, particularly in fostering mutual growth for coastal communities in both countries.”