The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region, encompassing the Northern Mozambique Channel- NMC, is rich in marine biodiversity and crucial to the livelihoods of about 10 million people. However, the region faces challenges from illegal fishing, offshore oil and gas exploration, and environmental degradation. The African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the African Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS)…
The UNEP Nairobi Convention Secretariat has achieved another milestone toward implementing the new Western Indian Ocean Strategic Action Programme in support of a sustainable regional Blue Economy, which was agreed upon by the Contracting Parties to the Nairobi Convention (NC). In partnership with Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), the Nairobi Convention conducted a six-day Regional Capacity Building Course on…
Durban, South Africa – From March 12-14, 2024, a workshop titled “Country-level Implementation of Regional Framework for Coastal & Marine Water Quality Management (C&MWQM) in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) Region” was held. Participants included representatives from five Nairobi Convention Contracting Parties: Kenya, Tanzania/Zanzibar, South Africa, Seychelles, and Madagascar. This workshop aimed to enhance the…
Protecting the Marine Environment from Land-Based Pollution in Tanzania The Nairobi Convention, through the ACP MEAs 3 programme, is supporting the Vice President’s Office (VPO), Tanzania in developing a National Source Inventory report on plastic pollution. This report will inform the development of a national marine litter management strategy and action plan to reduce plastic…
Grey to Blue Waters: Enhancing Marine Water Quality in Zanzibar The Nairobi Convention, through the ACP MEAs 3 programme, is working with the Zanzibar Fisheries Research and Marine Resources Institute (ZAFIRI) to assess the marine water quality in Zanzibar and establish a monitoring program. This monitoring is essential for the successful implementation of Zanzibar’s Blue…
Advancing Sustainable Fisheries and Ocean Governance in Kenya The Nairobi Convention and the SouthWest Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC) have a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the sustainable management of coastal and marine environment and fishery resources in the Western Indian Ocean region. The MoU seeks to enhance collaboration to support member countries…
Creating a regional strategy involves the active participation of various stakeholders, ranging from academic and research institutions to policymakers, businesses reliant on ocean resources, donors, and community members. This has been the case for the development of the Regional Ocean Governance Strategy (ROGS) for the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). The development of the strategy was…
Read about efforts being made in coastal villages in Tanzania’s Mkinga District, as the community integrates into the co-management of their coastal and marine resources. It is taking the collaborative efforts between government bodies, international organizations, and local stakeholders to preserve biodiversity, establish sustainable livelihoods, and mitigate climate change challenges through marine spatial planning, habitat…
The first project steering committee (PSC) meeting for the Integrated Management of the Marine and Coastal Resources of the Northern Mozambique Channel (NOCAMO) Project was convened on December 6, 2023. The PSC was convened to review and approve the project’s progress and expenditure. Additionally, it sought to review and approve the project’s annual work plan…
The 2023 Western Indian Ocean Science to Policy Platform The 2023 Western Indian Ocean (WIO) Science to Policy Forum themed ‘Addressing Global Targets in the WIO in support of a Sustainable Blue Economy’ took place in December in Maputo, Mozambique. It followed the 2021 Science to Policy Forum whose theme was ‘Transitioning to a Sustainable…