Advancing Regional Ocean Action at the 11th Our Ocean Conference
From 15–18 June 2026, CORDIO East Africa participated in the 11th Our Ocean Conference (OOC11) in Mombasa, Kenya, joining governments, regional organisations, research institutions, civil society, development partners and the private sector to advance solutions for a healthy, resilient and sustainably managed ocean.
Hosted by the Government of Kenya under the theme “Our Ocean, Our Future: Inspiring Action, Catalysing Change,” the conference focused on accelerating commitments across marine biodiversity conservation, sustainable fisheries, climate action, the sustainable blue economy, maritime security and marine pollution. Since its inception in 2014, the Our Ocean Conference has mobilised more than 2,600 voluntary commitments worth over US$160 billion, making it one of the world’s leading platforms for translating ocean ambition into action.
CORDIO contributed scientific expertise, regional experience and technical leadership across a series of side events, policy dialogues and strategic engagements. Throughout the conference, we showcased practical approaches to strengthening ocean governance in the Western Indian Ocean, highlighting how science, regional collaboration and community-led action can deliver lasting conservation outcomes.
Key Contributions
STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY-LED CONSERVATION
Through the Western Indian Ocean Consortium (WIO-C)Working Group, CORDIO contributed to regional dialogue on achieving the global 30×30 target by recognising and supporting Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs). CORDIO also supported the launch of Pathways for Marine OECMs in the Western Indian Ocean, a regional report developed collaboratively by WIO-C partners that explores the status of OECMs across ten Western Indian Ocean countries and outlines practical pathways for their identification, recognition and implementation.
The report highlights the critical role that Indigenous Peoples and local communities have long played in stewarding marine and coastal ecosystems, and demonstrates how recognising OECMs can strengthen biodiversity conservation while supporting equitable governance, sustainable livelihoods and national commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. By bringing together regional experiences, policy recommendations and country case studies, the report provides a roadmap for integrating community-led conservation into broader marine spatial planning and ocean governance across the Western Indian Ocean. Discussions at OOC11 reinforced the importance of regional collaboration in accelerating these efforts and advancing more inclusive approaches to marine conservation.
ENHANCING SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES
CORDIO contributed to discussions on strengthening fisheries governance through greater transparency, improved data systems and regional collaboration. As Co-Chair of the WIO-C Small-Scale Fisheries Working Group, CORDIO helped advance the Working Group’s commitment on fisheries data harmonisation, highlighting the importance of accessible, standardised and policy-relevant fisheries information to support evidence-based management and informed decision-making across the Western Indian Ocean.
CORDIO also joined members of the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency in supporting the adoption of the Mombasa Declaration, a landmark commitment by 16 countries across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe and the Pacific to strengthen fisheries transparency and combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The Declaration calls on governments to modernise vessel registries, improve transparency around fishing authorisations and beneficial ownership, strengthen access to information on licensing and fishing activity, and enhance data sharing to support enforcement and accountability across fisheries sectors.
With coastal communities at the heart of our work, CORDIO East Africa looks forward to supporting the implementation of the Mombasa Declaration and seeing its commitments translated into stronger fisheries governance, healthier marine ecosystems and more secure, sustainable livelihoods for the coastal communities and small-scale fishers who depend on them.
PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE BLUE ECONOMIES
Together with WWF, CORDIO co-convened a regional dialogue on sustainable blue tourism, exploring how locally rooted tourism models can support biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, job creation and inclusive economic development across the Western Indian Ocean. Drawing on findings from the Blue Tourism Initiative, the session examined the opportunities and challenges shaping the region’s blue tourism sector, highlighting the need for stronger governance, better integration of tourism into marine and coastal planning, and greater support for community-led enterprises.
Bringing together representatives from conservation organisations, academia and the private sector, the discussion explored how policy reforms, responsible private-sector investment and regional collaboration can help scale sustainable tourism models that deliver lasting benefits for both people and nature. Particular emphasis was placed on ensuring that tourism contributes to healthy coastal and marine ecosystems while creating meaningful livelihood opportunities—especially for women and youth—and strengthening the resilience of coastal communities.
The dialogue emphasized the potential of sustainable blue tourism to achieve conservation and development objectives simultaneously. By placing communities at the centre of tourism planning and promoting inclusive partnerships, the Western Indian Ocean has an opportunity to build a regenerative blue economy that delivers equitable benefits while safeguarding the natural assets on which tourism and coastal livelihoods depend on.
LEVERAGING SCIENCE FOR CONSERVATION ACTION AND POLICY
CORDIO showcased how science is helping shape more effective conservation policy and practice through a technical session on the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems (RLE). Bringing together researchers, practitioners and policymakers, the session explored how ecosystem risk assessments are informing marine spatial planning, conservation prioritisation and implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Building on the Western Indian Ocean’s pioneering regional coral reef assessment—the first application of the Red List of Ecosystems framework to coral reefs globally—the discussion traced the evolution of ecosystem risk assessments from regional analyses to national applications and the ongoing global coral reef assessment. Experiences from coral reefs, seagrass meadows and kelp forests demonstrated how the framework is supporting governments and conservation organisations to better understand ecosystem condition, identify emerging risks and prioritise conservation action.
The dialogue reinforced the value of robust scientific evidence in strengthening ocean governance. By providing a consistent framework for assessing ecosystem health and collapse risk, the Red List of Ecosystems is helping guide conservation investments, improve biodiversity monitoring, support national reporting under the Global Biodiversity Framework and enable more informed, evidence-based decision-making for the sustainable management of marine ecosystems.
LEVERAGING SCIENCE FOR CONSERVATION ACTION AND POLICY
CORDIO showcased how science is helping shape more effective conservation policy and practice through a technical session on the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems (RLE). Bringing together researchers, practitioners and policymakers, the session explored how ecosystem risk assessments are informing marine spatial planning, conservation prioritisation and implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Building on the Western Indian Ocean’s pioneering regional coral reef assessment—the first application of the Red List of Ecosystems framework to coral reefs globally—the discussion traced the evolution of ecosystem risk assessments from regional analyses to national applications and the ongoing global coral reef assessment. Experiences from coral reefs, seagrass meadows and kelp forests demonstrated how the framework is supporting governments and conservation organisations to better understand ecosystem condition, identify emerging risks and prioritise conservation action.
The dialogue reinforced the value of robust scientific evidence in strengthening ocean governance. By providing a consistent framework for assessing ecosystem health and collapse risk, the Red List of Ecosystems is helping guide conservation investments, improve biodiversity monitoring, support national reporting under the Global Biodiversity Framework and enable more informed, evidence-based decision-making for the sustainable management of marine ecosystems.
