New commitments for our oceans

The Our Ocean Conference (OOC), held in Mombasa, Kenya, under the theme “Our Ocean, Our Heritage, Our Future” from the 16^th–18^th June, brought together more than 5,000 delegates from governments, businesses, scientific institutions and civil society organisations to discuss marine issues and make voluntary commitments to advance ocean sustainability. It was the first time in the conference’s eleven editions that it had been held on African soil.

320 commitments

Across the three-day conference, attendees made 320 separate commitments, including new funding for scientific research, improving waste-management programmes to reduce marine pollution and mapping Indigenous groups’ customary waters. Some of these commitments were accompanied by announcements of new funding, with a total of 6.4 billion US dollars “mobilised” across all pledges.

Several non-governmental organisations also released new reports during the conference, on topics ranging from the implementation of marine protected areas to “climate-resilient” coral reefs. 

Africa is home to 38 coastal and island states and more than 13 million square kilometres of exclusive economic zones. “This conference is about turning words into commitments, commitments into action, and action into a legacy we can be proud of,” said Hassan Ali Joho, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Mining and Blue Economy, at the beginning of the event.

Some key takeaways across the key action areas of the Conference:

Marine protected areas

An assessment by Oregon State University/USA released during the conference found that more than one-third of the Earth’s marine protected areas stemmed from commitments made at previous Our Ocean Conferences – a total area exceeding ten million square kilometres. According to the analysis, nearly two-thirds of those commitments have been fully implemented, while most of the remaining pledges “show evidence of progress”.

Several governments, including those of Brazil, Chile, Indonesia, Kenya, Portugal, Senegal and Tanzania, announcedexpansions of marine protected areas (MPA). If all pledged MPAs were to be implemented, this would represent protection for around 14.4 million square kilometres or 4 per cent of the ocean. 

Coral reefs

Coral reefs play a crucial role in supporting marine biodiversity, protecting coastlines from erosion and sustaining tourism and fishing industries. However, increasing sea temperatures and ocean acidification continue to threaten their survival. Conservation experts at the conference stressed that protecting resilient coral reefs could be key to preserving marine ecosystems for future generations.

The High-Level Climate-Resilient Coral Reef Commitment is a pledge first launched at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, in June 2025 by eleven countries and several partner organisations. The initiative focuses on reefs which, according to scientists, have the “best chance of long-term survival in the face of climate change”. Five new governments – Comoros, the Dominican Republic, Kenya, the United Kingdom and Mexico – signed the commitment in Mombasa, bringing the coalition to 20 reef countries spanning all of the world’s coral regions. The goal is to reach 31 signatories – representing 80 per cent of the world’s coral cover – by November, when the COP31 UN Climate Summit is to be held in Turkey.

Illegal fishing

One of the major achievements of the summit was the adoption of the Mombasa Declaration to advance fisheries transparency and combat illegal fishing. The declaration “recognise[s]” that illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a major factor driving the unsustainable use of ocean resources and the degradation of marine ecosystems.

The declaration, which was signed by 16 national governments – eight of them from Africa – commits parties to follow a set of 10 low-cost or no-cost policy principles that governments can adopt globally, in law and in practice. The principles are laid out in the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, which was developed and promoted by a group of civil society organisations known as the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency. 

The European Union committed 46 million euros through its Horizon Europe research programme to fisheries work, including 32 million euros for “adaptive co-management strategies” and 14 million euros for research on conservation and sustainable management of migratory fishes. The EU and Italy both also announced contributions to the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund.

Deep-sea mining

Although deep-sea mining was not a major focus of the Mombasa talks, it did feature at several side events. “It’s not whether they have the minerals, it’s whether extracting them gives a net-positive impact,” Professor Rashid Sumaila of the University of British Columbia/Canada said at a reception held by the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC). Evaluating the risk of deep-sea mining will require a cost-benefit analysis that is as “broad and inclusive as possible”, he added.

Also at the reception, Malawi’s Foreign Affairs Minister Dr George Chaponda announced the country’s support of a “precautionary pause” on seabed mining in international waters. This would prohibit mineral exploration in such areas until there is robust scientific evidence showing limited environmental harm. In doing so, Malawi became the first African country to support such a pause –and the 41^st country overall to support a precautionary pause or moratorium on the activity. Later in the week, Kenya and Madagascar announced their support for such a pause as well.

“Investing in Africa’s future”

The World Resources Institute (WRI), Secretariat of the Our Ocean Conference, analysed progress on commitments in Africa since the conference began in 2014. Data shows that approximately 78 per cent of commitments are complete or in progress – and while many historically originated outside the continent, the 2026 conference highlighted a growing shift towards African-led solutions, financing and implementation.

“Africa is home to the world’s youngest and fastest-growing population, with more than 400 million people between the ages of 15 and 35,” said Wanjira Mathai, Managing Director, Africa and Global Partnerships, World Resources Institute. “For many young Africans, the ocean is not simply an environmental issue. It is a source of jobs, food security and economic opportunity. The commitments announced in Mombasa demonstrate growing recognition that investing in ocean health is investing in Africa’s future.”

More information:

Link to conference website
Link to preliminary outcome report