Malindi: The Kenyan government has officially launched a Marine Research and Training Centre in Malindi, Kilifi County as a measure to address the alarming under-conservation of the country’s coastline, currently estimated at less than one percent. Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano, who commissioned the facility on Monday, said the establishment of the centre was a step toward safeguarding Kenya’s marine heritage and endangered species for future generations.

According to Kenya News Agency, the centre is a constituent of the Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) and is expected to serve as a regional hub for marine research, conservation training, and biodiversity protection. Dr. Patrick Omondi, WRTI Director and CEO, emphasized the need for community-driven conservation strategies to raise coastal conservation to 30 percent in line with international targets set by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro underscored the need for local empowerment in the tourism sector, noting that he had been engaging the Department of Immigration to address the issue of foreigners doing menial jobs in Kenya’s tourism industry. He highlighted the potential for local youth to benefit from the coastal economy with proper training.

Dr. Mohamed Omar, one of the centre’s lead researchers, stated that the centre’s strategic goals include reversing wildlife decline, building conservation capacity among county governments, and expanding research into under-studied biodiversity hotspots like Lamu, Tana River, and Kwale. The biodiversity in Lamu, he explained, surpasses some existing conservation areas and remains largely unexplored.

Also present at the ceremony were the Principal Secretary for Wildlife, Ms Sylvia Museiya, the Director General of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Prof. Erastus Kanga, and the Chairman of the institute’s board of Directors, Mr. David Nkedianye among others.