DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Oct 12 — Countries bordering the Western Indian Ocean have adopted 15 decisions to strengthen marine conservation, tackle plastic pollution and promote sustainable blue-economy investments as the Nairobi Convention marked 40 years of regional cooperation.

📻 Breaking It Down

The decisions were adopted at the 12th Conference of the Parties (COP12), hosted by Tanzania in Dar es Salaam, where governments and regional partners also agreed on measures to improve ocean governance, restore coastal ecosystems and strengthen preparedness for major marine pollution incidents.

The meeting brought together more than 1,600 delegates, including representatives of the Convention’s 10 contracting parties, United Nations agencies, research institutions, development partners, civil society, young people and the private sector.

The outcomes are intended to accelerate implementation of the Convention’s 2025–2035 Integrated Work Programme and strengthen cooperation among countries sharing the Western Indian Ocean.

📌 What You Need to Know

They include a regional strategy to combat plastic pollution, measures to conserve and restore mangroves, seagrasses and coral reefs, and a regional contingency plan for responding to major marine pollution incidents. Parties also called for stronger action against land-based sources of marine degradation.

The decisions come as coastal countries face the challenge of protecting marine ecosystems while expanding economic opportunities linked to fisheries, tourism and other ocean-based activities.

“The Western Indian Ocean is our shared heritage, our shared lifeline, our shared prosperity, and our shared responsibility,” Tanzania’s Vice-President, Deogratius John Ndejembi, said during the opening of the high-level segment.

He said a sustainable blue economy must benefit people and nature, adding that the Convention’s 40th anniversary should mark a turning point towards healthier oceans and more resilient societies.

Beyond conservation, the parties endorsed measures to strengthen marine spatial planning, ecosystem monitoring, scientific cooperation and information management. They also backed the use of digital tools and knowledge-sharing systems to improve evidence-based decision-making across the region.

The meeting further called for a coordinated regional approach to implementing the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, which provides a framework for protecting marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Parties urged wider ratification, greater regional preparedness and capacity-building to support its implementation.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya