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Africa: 'The Challenge Is No Longer Identifying Solutions. It Is ... Mombasa, Kenya — As Africa hosts the Our Ocean Conference (OOC11) for the first time, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is spotlighting its deep partnership with African governments and coastal communities to translate ocean commitments into tangible, on-the-ground impact. The world has committed to protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030, but the real test is whether those promises are being turned into action. Attention is turning to what meaningful progress looks like on paper and in practice. In an interview,Ademola Ajagbe, the Regional Managing Director of The Nature Conservancy's Africa program, shared insights on Africa's emerging leadership in ocean conservation, the practical implications of the High Seas Treaty for African waters, the role of AI and electronic monitoring in combating illegal fishing, and how effective marine protection can deliver real economic benefits for coastal communities. Our Ocean Conference (OOC11) highlights the need for stronger implementation of ocean commitments. Where do you see Africa already setting the pace in marine protection, and where is leadership still missing in practice…

Africa: Why Healthy Oceans Are Essential for Food Security in Africa [allAfrica] Mombasa -- Fish are often described as one of Africa's most overlooked solutions to food insecurity, yet millions of people depend on fisheries for nutrition, jobs, and livelihoods. As marine ecosystems face growing threats from pollution, climate change, and overexploitation, experts are calling for urgent action to protect both ocean health and the communities that rely on it.

Africa: Africa Takes the Helm in Global Ocean Negotiations [allAfrica] Mombasa -- The world's oceans absorb a third of its carbon, feed billions, and are dying faster than most governments are moving to save them. Now, the ocean it depends on is the subject of urgent global negotiation, and for the first time, that conversation is happening in Africa.

Africa: Ocean Economy Can Drive Africa's Future If Backed by Bold Investment [allAfrica] Mombasa, Kenya -- The blue economy is a vital source of jobs, food security, and economic opportunity across Africa and the Western Indian Ocean region. Yet, by the admission of those driving its development, the region is still only beginning to tap into what its oceans, lakes, and rivers can truly offer.

Africa: Why Africa's Ocean Leadership Matters Now [allAfrica] Last month, Mombasa made history as the first African city to host the Our Ocean Conference (OOC) - an international convening to protect and conserve the ocean, gathering well over a hundred countries. Yet the significance of the conference went far beyond where it was held. It demonstrated why Africa is increasingly becoming one of the world's most influential voices in shaping the future of our ocean.

Africa: Our Ocean Conference Ends with Familiar Question - Will Pledges Be Met? [allAfrica] Mombasa, Kenya -- A new round of pledges and partnerships marked the closing ceremony of the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa. Countries and stakeholders outlined commitments to scale up ocean action, finance and innovation. The question, however, remains whether these will amount to yet another list of promises.

Africa: Our Ocean Conference Ends with Familiar Question - Will Pledges Be Met? [allAfrica] Mombasa, Kenya -- A new round of pledges and partnerships marked the closing ceremony of the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa. Countries and stakeholders outlined commitments to scale up ocean action, finance and innovation. The question, however, remains whether these will amount to yet another list of promises.

Africa: Why Africa's Ocean Leadership Matters Now [allAfrica] Last month, Mombasa made history as the first African city to host the Our Ocean Conference (OOC) - an international convening to protect and conserve the ocean, gathering well over a hundred countries. Yet the significance of the conference went far beyond where it was held. It demonstrated why Africa is increasingly becoming one of the world's most influential voices in shaping the future of our ocean.

Africa's Ocean Moment Cannot End in Empty Promises Growing up, all I ever wanted was to work underwater as a marine conservationist. But it wasn't until my first job in Mombasa - waiting under baobab trees for fishers to return so I could measure their catch - that I realized the ocean is much more than what lies beneath the surface. Along Kenya's coastline, I saw first-hand how deeply people's lives are intertwined with the sea. The ocean shapes daily rhythms, livelihoods, culture, and connections between generations. For millions of people across Africa, the ocean is not an abstract environmental issue. It is a way of life. This June, Kenya will host the 11th annual Our Ocean Conference, the first time the gathering will take place on African soil. It is a historic moment and one that should reshape how the world thinks about the ocean. For many global leaders, the ocean is still treated as secondary to issues like energy, security, or economic growth. But across Africa, healthy oceans are inseparable from food security, public health, and economic stability. At the heart of this connection is fish. Fish are one of the most important, yet overlooked, pillars of African food sy…

Africa: Africa's Ocean Moment Cannot End in Empty Promises [allAfrica] Growing up, all I ever wanted was to work underwater as a marine conservationist. But it wasn't until my first job in Mombasa - waiting under baobab trees for fishers to return so I could measure their catch - that I realized the ocean is much more than what lies beneath the surface. Along Kenya's coastline, I saw first-hand how deeply people's lives are intertwined with the sea.

Africa: 'The Challenge Is No Longer Identifying Solutions. It Is Scaling Them' #OOC11 [allAfrica] Mombasa, Kenya -- As Africa hosts the Our Ocean Conference (OOC11) for the first time, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is spotlighting its deep partnership with African governments and coastal communities to translate ocean commitments into tangible, on-the-ground impact. The world has committed to protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030, but the real test is whether those promises are being turned into action. Attention is turning to what meaningful progress looks like on paper and in practice.

'The Challenge Is No Longer Identifying Solutions. It Is Scaling Them ... Mombasa, Kenya, Jun 17, 2026 (allAfrica.com/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- As Africa hosts the Our Ocean Conference (OOC11) for the first time, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is spotlighting its deep partnership with African governments and coastal communities to translate ocean commitments into tangible, on-the-ground impact. The world has committed to protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030, but the real test is whether those promises are being turned into action. Attention is turning to what meaningful progress looks like on paper and in practice. In an interview, Ademola Ajagbe, the Regional Managing Director of The Nature Conservancy's Africa program, shared insights on Africa's emerging leadership in ocean conservation, the practical implications of the High Seas Treaty for African waters, the role of AI and electronic monitoring in combating illegal fishing, and how effective marine protection can deliver real economic benefits for coastal communities. Our Ocean Conference (OOC11) highlights the need for stronger implementation of ocean commitments. Where do you see Africa already setting the pac…

Africa: Our Ocean Conference Ends with Familiar Question - Will Pledges Be Met? [allAfrica] Mombasa, Kenya -- A new round of pledges and partnerships marked the closing ceremony of the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa. Countries and stakeholders outlined commitments to scale up ocean action, finance and innovation. The question, however, remains whether these will amount to yet another list of promises.

From Victoria to Mombasa: Will Africa’s Ocean Voice Be Heard? From Victoria to Mombasa: Will Africa’s Ocean Voice Be Heard? Opinion by James Alix Michel ( victoria, seychelles ) Monday, June 15, 2026 Inter Press Service VICTORIA, Seychelles, June 15 (IPS) - Tomorrow, Africa hosts the Our Ocean Conference on its own shores for the first time, in Mombasa. This is more than a diplomatic milestone. It is a test of whether we, as Africans, are prepared to safeguard our ocean as a shared heritage and a pillar of our future prosperity. James Alix Michel For island and coastal nations such as Seychelles, this is not an abstract debate. It is a question of survival, identity and dignity. Our ocean is the blue heart that sustains our people. It feeds our families, stabilises our climate, underpins our blue economies and shapes our cultures. If we fail to protect it, we will have failed our children. As former President of Seychelles, I had the privilege to help pioneer the blue economy concept in Seychelles and the South West Indian Ocean. That vision, born from our own lived reality, was simple but profound: our economic future depends on a healthy ocean. We must build prosperity not by e…

Call to action: Africa's ocean moment should not end in empty promises Time flies with great content! Renew into keep enjoying all our premium content. ByCHRISTINA CHEMTAI HICKS Growing up, all I ever wanted was to work underwater as a marine conservationist. But it wasn’t until my first job in Mombasa — waiting under baobab trees for fishers to return so I could measure their catch — that I realised the ocean is much more than what lies beneath the surface. Along Kenya’s coastline, I saw first-hand how deeply people’s lives are intertwined with the sea. The ocean shapes daily rhythms, livelihoods, culture, and connections between generations. For millions across Africa, the ocean is not an abstract environmental issue. It is a way of life. This June, Kenya will host the 11th annual Our Ocean Conference, the first time the gathering will be on the African soil. It is a historic moment and one that should reshape how the world thinks about the ocean. For many global leaders, the ocean is still treated as secondary to issues such as energy, security, or economic growth. But across Africa, healthy oceans are inseparable from food security, public health, and economic stability. …