SWIOTUNA ENGAGEMENT MEETING WITH FITI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

SWIOTUNA held a hybrid meeting with the Executive Director of the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) at the SWIOTUNA Nairobi office, bringing together 14 representatives from Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique to explore collaboration opportunities on advancing fisheries transparency in the region. The meeting emphasized the importance of promoting transparency in fisheries governance and involving civil society organizations (CSOs) in the process. The FiTI Executive Director shared progress updates, noting that FiTI has expanded its reach to 12 countries, with Seychelles, Comoros, and Madagascar already committed. While Madagascar and Seychelles have made notable progress in publishing fisheries information, Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique are still in early stages, with efforts hindered by slow government engagement or political transitions. SWIOTUNA committed to mobilizing country-level meetings with relevant government stakeholders, with FiTI supporting through policy briefs, and a joint workshop in Nairobi was proposed to sustain momentum. Members were also encouraged to explore synergies with the upcoming Open Government Partnership (OGP) meeting in Nairobi.