Strengthening Marine Ecosystems: The Case of Mauritius The Nairobi Convention serves as a regional platform to address the challenges facing coastal and marine ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) through collective interventions, dialogue, and partnerships. Contracting Parties, including Kenya, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Comoros, Mauritius, Madagascar, Reunion (France), and Seychelles, collaborate on national and…
Addressing the risk of oil spills in the Western Indian Ocean The Richness and Fragility of the Western Indian Ocean Did you know that the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region is home to over 244 million people, a coastline stretching more than 15,000 km, and some of the most vibrant marine ecosystems on Earth? From…
Uruguay hosted over 350 delegates at the 10th International Waters Conference (IWC10) in Punta del Este from September 23 – 26, 2024. Organized by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in collaboration with UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC/UNESCO), the event focused on the theme Transformative actions and impacts for the water and ocean SDGs: The GEF…
The Eleventh Meeting of the Conference of Parties (NC COP 11) to the Nairobi Convention for the Protection, Management, and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Western Indian Ocean Region successfully concluded with key Decisions aimed at safeguarding the region’s marine ecosystems adopted. Held from 20-22 August 2024 in Antananarivo, Madagascar, the…
An interactive WIOSAP dashboard was launched at COP 11 to the Nairobi Convention to provide an in-depth view of the project’s accomplishments. The WIOSAP project has been addressing land-based threats to coastal and marine ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean region. The dashboard allows users to analyze and visualize key metrics and data points, revealing…
The Nairobi Convention serves as a regional platform to address the challenges facing coastal and marine ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) through collective interventions, dialogue, and partnerships. Contracting Parties, including Kenya, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Comoros, Mauritius, Madagascar, Reunion (France), and Seychelles, collaborate on national and regional actions to mitigate environmental stresses,…
Integrating Western Indian Ocean Governance Strategy with Africa-wide Ocean Governance Strategy Inspired by the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) Cairo Declaration of 2015, the Nairobi Convention’s contracting parties decided at COP 10 in November 2021 to develop a Regional Ocean Governance Strategy (ROGS) for the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). Since May 2022, a…
The case of the Nairobi Convention-FAO/SWIOFC and UNEP/Nairobi Convention Partnership The South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC) and the Nairobi Convention held a workshop in Mombasa in May 2024 to map out all key stakeholders active on coastal and marine environment and fisheries in the coastal counties of Lamu and Kwale in Kenya (see…
The Eleventh Conference of Parties to the Nairobi Convention (COP 11) will be a crucial gathering, enhancing ongoing efforts to protect, manage and develop the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region. It will take place between August 20-22 2024 in Antananarivo, Madagascar. As preparations intensify for the eleventh Conference of Parties to the Nairobi Convention (COP…
The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region, celebrated for its rich marine biodiversity and vital ecosystems like coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangroves, confronts mounting threats from anthropogenic and climate change-induced phenomena. Coral bleaching, sea-level rise, and intensified extreme weather events are among the pressing challenges endangering the region’s ecological balance. Recent catastrophic events, notably Cyclone…