Background / Context
The Our Ocean Conference is not merely a conventional diplomatic forum—it is a global platform established in 2014 by the United States as an integrated initiative to accelerate marine action grounded in science, equity, and accountability. For Africa—which boasts more than 30,000 kilometers of coastline across 38 coastal nations—the ocean is not just a geographical domain but a vital space for economic livelihood, cultural identity, and strategic security. The Western Indian Ocean region—where Mombasa is located—is one of the world’s busiest maritime trade corridors, carrying more than 40% of global maritime trade, including oil, gas, and consumer goods. Yet beneath this potential lie multiple threats: marine plastic pollution rising by more than 12% annually, fish stock declines of up to 40% in several African exclusive economic zones (EEZs), and climate vulnerabilities such as sea-level rise threatening coastal cities including Mombasa, Dar es Salaam, and Maputo.
Africa’s participation history in the conference reflects the evolution of the continent’s maritime approach. From initially being primarily recipients of pledges, countries such as Kenya, Seychelles, and Namibia have now emerged as drivers of initiatives—for example, Seychelles launched the world’s first blue bond in 2018, raising USD 150 million for marine conservation. However, strong participation does not always equate to effective implementation. Many African countries continue to grapple with shortages of high-quality marine data, limited satellite monitoring infrastructure, and a lack of marine technical expertise—factors that directly undermine their ability to monitor, enforce, and report progress on commitments.
Developments / Key Facts
The 11th Conference in Mombasa marks the first time the event has been held in Africa since 2019 (which took place in Oslo but with a strong focus on the West African Atlantic Ocean). More than 1,200 participants from 72 countries attended, including representatives from all African coastal states except Libya and South Sudan. Among the major commitments announced were: Kenya launching its National Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Management Plan covering 230,000 km², supported technically by the European Union; South Africa pledging USD 210 million in AI-based maritime monitoring technologies to combat illegal fishing; and Seychelles and Mauritius signing a regional cooperation agreement for transboundary tuna stock management, which contributes more than USD 1.3 billion annually to the region’s marine exports.
Overall, the pledges collectively represent financial commitments totaling USD 3.82 billion, with USD 1.45 billion specifically earmarked for African countries. This includes funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the World Bank, and blue bond initiatives. However, it is critical to note that only 28% of this total comprises ongoing or performance-conditioned commitments, while the remainder consists of one-time pledges or those contingent upon domestic budget approvals. By comparison, of the 127 commitments made at the 2019 Our Ocean Conference in Oslo, only 19% had been fully implemented by the end of 2025, according to the official verification report issued by the Our Ocean Secretariat.
Impact / Implications
The direct impact of these pledges hinges heavily on local institutional capacity. In Kenya, for instance, implementing the EEZ Management Plan requires strengthening the capacity of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources—which currently employs fewer than 80 technical officers to oversee a maritime territory twice the size of the country itself. Without further training and a centralized marine geographic information system (GIS), risks of duplicated efforts and oversight of sensitive zones remain high. At the regional level, the Seychelles–Mauritius cooperation success could serve as a model for shared resource governance in the Indian Ocean—but it also raises unresolved questions about revenue sharing and veto rights in scientific decision-making, issues left unaddressed in regional agreements such as the Nairobi Protocol.
Economically, enhanced marine protection directly supports the fisheries sector, which provides direct employment to over 12 million people across Africa and contributes more than 17% of the region’s combined agricultural and fisheries exports. Yet without support for small-scale fishers—who constitute more than 85% of Africa’s fishing population—conservation measures risk triggering social tensions. In Mozambique, for example, fishing bans in newly designated marine protected areas in Inhambane Province have sparked local fisher protests due to the absence of effective compensation schemes or alternative income programs.
Perspectives & Forward Outlook
Going forward, the effectiveness of the Our Ocean Conference will no longer be measured solely by the number of pledges, but by the depth of accountability mechanisms built into them. African authorities are advancing the establishment of a Regional African Maritime Monitoring Centre (RAMMC) in Mombasa—an initiative slated for launch in 2027 with technical support from UNESCO and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). RAMMC will deliver real-time data on water quality, fish migration, and vessel activity, and serve as a training hub for 500 marine officers from 30 African countries over five years. If successful, this could become a transformative milestone—not merely a monitoring tool, but a genuinely Africa-owned platform for scientific collaboration. Yet its success depends on sustained operational financing, technical autonomy, and integration with indigenous resource management systems. As underscored by Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Environment in the closing address: *"Promises without data are hope. Data without action is archive. Action without local ownership is intervention."*