MOMBASA — The 11th Our Ocean Conference convened in Mombasa, Kenya, marking the first time an African country hosted the annual conference. The conference agenda focused on climate change, biodiversity, and marine pollution.

Delegates from Africa, the U.S., the E.U., the Caribbean, and Pacific island nations attended the proceedings. The gathering occurred after the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction entered into force in January 2026, with 60 countries having ratified the agreement before its effect. The treaty creates a legal framework for designating protected areas in international waters and supports a global objective to protect 30 percent of terrestrial and marine ecosystems by 2030.

John Kerry, former U.S. Secretary of State, addressed the delegates. "We have 10% of the ocean under protection this year. That is worth marking. But only 3% is highly or fully protected, and the rest of the protections are, unfortunately, just lines on a map." He urged countries to "Ratify it if you haven't, and move immediately to implementation." Kerry also said, "A region long described as a victim of ocean exploitation is now choosing to lead instead." The Commonwealth organization, comprising 56 member states, holds jurisdiction over 36 percent of global ocean territory and oversees nearly 50 percent of the world's coral reefs.

Hassan Joho, Kenyan Cabinet secretary of maritime affairs, stated, "The purpose of this roundtable is not to restate ambition, but to convert such pledges into measurable results for our communities, our economies and our oceans." Since 2014, the conference series has generated over 2,900 financial commitments totaling more than $169 billion. Kenya maintains a coastline measuring 640 kilometers. Kenyan authorities implemented integrated coastal management plans, expanded marine protected areas, and increased enforcement operations targeting illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Eight Gulf of Guinea nations committed to sustainably managing their territorial waters by 2030.