Africa's Ocean Conference Legacy: Will Environmental Pledges Stand the Test of Time?

The 11th Our Ocean Conference concluded in Mombasa, Kenya, marked by a fresh wave of pledges and partnerships aimed at scaling up global ocean action, finance, and innovation. Despite the optimism, a recurring question remains whether these commitments will translate into tangible results or merely add to a growing list of unfulfilled promises. Betsy Njagi, Principal Secretary for Blue Economy and Fisheries, underscored Kenya's resolve, stating that the nation has proven that ocean conservation and economic progress are mutually achievable goals. She highlighted Kenya's leadership in positioning itself as a central hub for ocean investment, attracting global stakeholders, financial institutions, entrepreneurs, and innovators to mobilize capital and implement solutions for the blue economy. Njagi emphasized that the true measure of the conference's success lies not in the declarations made, but in the subsequent actions taken, illustrating that a new blue economy paradigm is fundamentally an economic and jobs agenda, improving the quality of life.

Costas Kadis, the European Union Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, commended Kenya for its consistent leadership in hosting major ocean conferences, citing the Sustainable Blue Economy Conference in Nairobi in 2018, the co-hosting of the second UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon in 2022, and now the successful Mombasa event. Kadis stressed the ocean's indispensable role in planetary life, producing a significant portion of the world's oxygen and supporting immense marine biodiversity. He issued a stark warning about the severe threats posed by human activities, including overfishing, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, he noted that phytoplankton, like Prochlorococcus, generates 20% of the planet's surface oxygen, making its health critical for human survival. Kadis lamented that despite this vital reliance, human actions continue to harm ocean systems through industrial fishing, bottom trawling, and climate change-induced warming, leading to rising sea levels. He urged the world to fully acknowledge its overwhelming dependence on a healthy ocean, asserting that if humanity curtails its harmful practices, the ocean will continue to sustain life, advocating for robust global action grounded in science, law, and international consensus to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 14.

The global call for unified action was echoed by Hon. Emmanuel Samuda, Jamaica's Minister for Mining, Water, Environment and Climate Change, who expressed gratitude to Kenya for its leadership and announced Jamaica's honor in accepting the responsibility to host the 2029 Our Ocean Conference in Montego Bay. Samuda highlighted Montego Bay's historic significance in global ocean governance, as the site where negotiations for the landmark UN Convention on the Law of the Sea culminated, providing the world with a enduring legal framework for ocean use and protection. He affirmed that the 2029 conference would prioritize implementation and tangible outcomes over mere promises. Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho stated that the Mombasa conference marked a pivotal moment in global ocean diplomacy, elevating the voices of communities, promoting gender equity, fostering youth leadership, and integrating indigenous knowledge systems, thereby positioning Africa and the Global South as key drivers of innovation and governance. Joho emphasized that the ocean is a complex, interconnected living system where climate, security, fisheries, transport, and community leadership converge. The conference successfully addressed all eight thematic pillars, including the ocean-climate nexus, illegal fishing, marine pollution, maritime security, and sustainable blue economy financing, with Kenya and its partners making significant strides in aligning ocean action with climate goals and investing in coastal infrastructure.

President Hussein Mwinyi of Zanzibar affirmed his country's full support for the conference outcomes, underscoring the ocean's role as a shared natural resource vital for livelihoods, food security, trade, climate resilience, and sustainable prosperity. He highlighted the urgent need for collective action to combat marine pollution, biodiversity loss, climate change impacts, unsustainable resource exploitation, and maritime insecurity. For the United Republic of Tanzania, with its extensive coastline and vast ocean waters, the blue economy is a strategic sector contributing significantly to national development through fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, maritime trade, and offshore energy, including substantial natural gas discoveries. Zanzibar, in particular, contributes nearly 30% to its GDP through the blue economy, directly supporting many livelihoods, especially for women and youth. Both Zanzibar (2020) and mainland Tanzania (2024) have adopted blue economy policies to strengthen governance frameworks. However, Mwinyi noted persistent challenges such as financing gaps, limited technology access, and institutional capacity constraints, which hinder the full potential of Africa's blue economy. Tanzania remains committed to combating illegal fishing through strengthened regulations, science-based management, community participation, and maritime surveillance. Despite threats from climate change like sea-level rise and extreme weather, they are dedicated to adaptation and mitigation through ecosystem restoration and resilient infrastructure, calling for deeper international cooperation and investment.

President William Ruto hailed the conference as a significant advancement in global efforts to safeguard oceans against escalating threats from climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. He acknowledged the ocean's critical function in regulating Earth's climate by absorbing vast amounts of excess heat and carbon dioxide emissions, but warned that its capacity is finite, leading to rising seas, stronger storms, marine heatwaves, coastal flooding, and ocean acidification. Ruto lamented that past responses have been hampered by weak political will, insufficient financing, slow technological adoption, limited capacity, and fragmented governance. However, he noted a growing momentum, citing the entry into force of the High Seas Treaty in January and the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies in September 2025 as landmark achievements, with Kenya playing a crucial role in the High Seas Treaty's ratification. The conference attracted over 6,000 delegates from 104 countries, resulting in over 300 new commitments valued at approximately US$5.7 billion, with Kenya alone pledging 40 commitments worth US$1.1 billion.

President Ruto detailed Kenya's substantial investments in the blue economy, totaling KSh20.3 billion since establishing a dedicated State Department for Blue Economy and Fisheries. These investments include completing three fishing landing sites, with five more under construction along the Indian Ocean coast and ten in Lake Victoria, alongside ten markets, costing KSh2.8 billion. Two aquaculture centers of excellence have been established, and the Shimoni Fish Port, a KSh2.6 billion project, is now complete and awaiting an operator. Furthermore, Kenya has acquired patrol, research, and rescue boats for KSh1.4 billion and distributed 272 community boats for KSh842 million. Approximately 86,000 community members have received KSh3.3 billion in support, enhancing livelihoods. An additional KSh3 billion has been invested in a maritime information and research center. Ruto stated that these deliberate investments have earned Kenya recognition as a leading blue and ocean country, enabling it to host the conference on African soil for the first time. He committed to expanding marine protected areas, restoring fisheries, combating climate change, reducing pollution, building sustainable blue economies, and strengthening maritime security. Ruto advocated for a new model of growth that integrates economic opportunity with conservation, including offshore renewable energy, circular materials, sustainable fisheries, and inclusive national ocean plans.

In his closing remarks, President Ruto urged global leaders to back their ocean commitments with robust financing and effective delivery mechanisms, cautioning that mere pledges are insufficient given the urgency of the climate crisis. He stressed that the burden of ocean protection should not disproportionately fall on nations that have contributed least to its degradation. Ruto highlighted a strategic shift in Africa's global engagement, moving from dependency towards sovereign equality and mutually beneficial, investment-driven partnerships that create jobs and shared value. He emphasized Africa's burgeoning population, vast natural resources, and expanding workforce as key drivers of future global economic transformation, asserting that the continent will constitute 40% of the world's workforce and its largest market by 2050. Ruto called for the elimination of barriers hindering access to new financing avenues for Africa, advocating for equal treatment rather than special consideration. He concluded with a powerful call for immediate action to transform political promises into tangible outcomes, fostering blue-green industrialization, creating high-value jobs, and ensuring a living and resilient ocean for future generations. Canada is slated to host the 12th Our Ocean Conference.