Implementation of the Nairobi Convention

At the Eleventh Conference of Parties (COP 11) to the Nairobi Convention held in Madagascar in August 2024, the Contracting Parties approved a 10-year Integrated Programme, a Programme of Work (2025-2028), and several key policy decisions in an effort to address the triple planetary crises of pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss in the Western Indian Ocean region. The adopted Programmes and Decisions built on years of investment and align with global commitments like Agenda 2030, the Paris Agreement, and the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.

In October 2024, the government of the United Republic of Tanzania, Chair of the Nairobi Convention Bureau, hosted meetings in Zanzibar to launch the implementation of the Programme of Work and COP 11 Decisions. Partners were invited to explore areas of collaboration.

Between 27 - 31 January 2025, the Nairobi Convention hosted a series of high-level workshops and meetings to advance the implementation of its 2025–2028 Programme of Work (PoW) and to operationalize the decisions adopted at the Eleventh Conference of Parties (COP 11). Attended by National Focal Points, Convention Bureau members, technical experts, partners, and stakeholders from Contracting Parties, the meetings focused on: •Finalizing regional action plans (with special focus on the regional Ocean Acidification Plan). •Reviewing and enhancing the regional ecosystem monitoring framework. •Assessing project progress under WIOSAP, SAPPHIRE, and NOCAMO projects. •Inducting newly elected Bureau members and providing a comprehensive orientation on the PoW 2025–2028.

Below, we share highlights from the workshops and meetings, alongside insight into how these outcomes will drive sustainable development, conservation efforts, and collective action:

Recognizing ocean acidification as an emerging threat from climate change, contracting parties to the Nairobi Convention at the ninth Conference of Parties in 2018 adopted a key Decision to amplify the urgency to respond to the threat through capacity building, scientific collaboration, regional monitoring, and alternative adaptation measures. At the tenth Conference of Parties in 2021, another Conference of Parties Decision mandated the development of a regional ocean acidification action plan to support national climate change strategies. Recently in August 2024 at the eleventh Conference of Parties in 2024, member states adopted decision CP.11/10 to embed and integrate climate change concerns on acidifying Western Indian Ocean into impacts on marine biodiversity.

These strong decisions formed the backdrop for the technical and policy review workshop on the regional Ocean Acidification Action Plan for the Western Indian Ocean on 27 January 2025. Ocean acidification experts, marine ecosystems monitoring experts, national focal points to the Nairobi Convention, policymakers and partners gathered to address the impacts of ocean acidification on coral reefs, shellfish populations, and marine food webs to the livelihoods of coastal communities.

From the onset, the workshop's clarion call was the urgency for tackling ocean acidification as a form of climate change and a plan that focuses on emissions reduction, marine protection, and regional policy cohesion. Statements from the Head, Nairobi Convention Secretariat. Dr. Jared Bosire, the national focal point to Nairobi Convention Mr. Simon Wankyo, , and the representative of the Government of Tanzania to the Nairobi Convention Bureau, the Deputy Permanent Secretary (Vice President’s Office), Ms. Christina Solomon Mndeme, rallied on a call for action.

Following an intensive review of ocean acidification, and its ramifications, participants refined the Ocean Acidification Action Plan and prioritized actions contained in the 10-year implementation plan. They agreed on a regionally coordinated monitoring of key indicators of ocean acidification, restoration of blue carbon ecosystems to increase sequestration and storage of carbon dioxide, and consistent engagement of local communities on resilience . Other priority actions were on enhancing funding mechanisms for monitoring purposes, and alignment of ocean acidification with climate change strategy in the Nairobi Convention area. Discussions highlighted gaps in long-term data, policy consistency, capacity-building and raising public awareness on the impacts of ocean acidification.

The WIOMSA OA Regional Working Group, alongside the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), and the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), provided technical expertise and data analysis, ensuring an evidence-based approach to the Action Plan. Going forward, the focus on (i) expanding OA monitoring programs in the WIO region, (ii) increas funding for research, and monitoring and mitigation initiatives, and (ii) enhancing policy integration at both national and regional level. Participants emphasized the need to elevate discussions on ocean acidification in relevant global forums, to drive more significant international support for the WIO region’s efforts.

Contracting Parties to the Nairobi Convention are required under Articles 15, 17, and 23 of the Amended Convention to cooperate in scientific research, monitoring, and data exchange, and to prepare national State of Coast reports periodically. These national reports form the basis of the regional State of Coast report, as guided by Decision CP8/11, while Decision CP7/5 calls for a common reporting template.

To support these commitments, the Regional Framework for Ecosystem Monitoring in the Western Indian Ocean serves as a practical guide for planning, implementing, and reporting on national monitoring programs aligned with global priorities such as the SDGs, the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, and the UN Decade of Ocean Science. Drawing on regional Transboundary Diagnostic Analyses (TDAs), it proposes 30 priority indicators addressing water quality, habitat degradation, and declines in marine resources. The framework’s tools and templates help countries harmonize data collection and reporting, with National Data Centers feeding into the Nairobi Convention Clearinghouse Mechanism for evidence-based decision-making.

Recent workshop discussions held in Dar es Salaam by Nairobi Convention and Partners confirmed the importance of a well-coordinated strategy, ensuring the framework’s objectives align with global pollution control, habitat protection, and sustainable ocean resources management.

• By providing practical tools and templates, the Ecosystem Monitoring Framework helps countries refine their data collection and adopt harmonized methodologies, enhancing comparability and accuracy.
• National Data Centers feed into the Nairobi Convention Clearinghouse Mechanism, ensuring accessible, centralized information for evidence-based decision-making.
• Recommendations include formally incorporating the Framework into Strategic Action Programs, agreeing on uniform reporting formats, refining indicators to suit local contexts, and promoting regional collaboration through capacity-building and expert coordination.
• Effective application of the Framework will strengthen ecosystem health monitoring, guide responsive management actions, and support sustainable development for coastal communities across the Western Indian Ocean.

Experts at the meeting agreed on four key indicators for monitoring: water quality (with a specific measure to be determined by the Regional Water Quality Task Force), coral reef and mangrove health, and species trends (small pelagic fish and octopus). Each country will nominate experts to refine data collection methods, set monitoring schedules, and test an online portal for real-time data sharing. This collaborative approach ensures consistent monitoring and informed decision-making across the region.

Representatives from each country shared insights into their respective “data centers”—the places where they gather and analyze environmental information. They discussed both the challenges they face, such as limited funding or outdated technology, and the success stories that demonstrate innovative approaches to protecting marine and coastal environments. These presentations underscored the critical need for uniform, comparable data to inform decisions at the local, regional, and even international levels.

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To further streamline these efforts, technical experts introduced a standardized template for submitting data to the online database. This template will help ensure that all participants follow the same guidelines when reporting on indicators, ultimately making the combined data set more reliable and straightforward to interpret.

Finally, delegates agreed on a clear roadmap leading up to the next Conference of Parties (COP12). This plan outlines the timeline, resources, and logistics needed to compile and present each country’s monitoring progress.

The eighth Steering Committee for the SAPPHIRE project took a close look at how the project has been progressing and extended project activities until 23 April 2025. This added time will allow for the completion of ongoing work—such as demonstration projects, training, and stakeholder engagements—and help ensure more effective results.

Additionally, the Committee reminded all Contracting Parties and partners that annual co-finance reports must be submitted by July 2025, highlighting each country’s contributions and the overall financial health of the project.

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Finally, the Steering Committee approved a detailed work plan and budget for the extended period. This roadmap outlines the remaining demonstrations, capacity-building events, and engagements needed to wrap up the project successfully ensuring SAPPHIRE continues to make a meaningful impact in the region.

The seventh and final WIOSAP Project Steering Committee celebrated both the project’s legacy and its potential for long-term sustainability. As members wrapped up discussions on the Terminal Evaluation—a formal review of the project’s achievements—they emphasized the lasting value of WIOSAP’s community-driven interventions and the momentum it has generated for future conservation initiatives.

Throughout the project, implementing partners have pioneered various approaches to protecting and restoring coastal ecosystems—from mangrove, coral reefs and seagrass rehabilitation to innovative wetland technologies and coastal spatial planning. These initiatives have led to tangible benefits for both the environment and local communities:

• Restoring vital habitats like mangroves and seagrasses, which help support fishing, protect shorelines from storms, and capture carbon.
• Improving water quality and reducing pollution through constructed wetlands, a cost-effective technology that also fosters community involvement.
• Guiding sustainable development in coastal areas by integrating scientific research and local knowledge into spatial planning.

The success stories shared at the PSC offered inspiring examples of how investing in nature can boost livelihoods, enhance biodiversity, and strengthen resilience to climate change.

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As WIOSAP formally closed, there was a shared commitment among members to replicate successful interventions wherever possible, ensuring that these proven methods continue benefiting other communities in the region. To maintain this momentum, participants agreed to keep expanding the capacity-building networks established under WIOSAP. These networks connect local stakeholders, researchers, and decision-makers, making it easier to share knowledge, fund new projects, and scale up the best practices identified through WIOSAP.

By championing collaboration, knowledge sharing, and inclusive decision-making, WIOSAP has set a precedent for future projects to protect and sustainably manage the Western Indian Ocean’s precious marine and coastal environment. On knowledge management, a  dashboard  for the project summarizing all investments made under the project was also presented; with videos and a compendium for the project being completed by March 2025.

At the second Project Steering Committee meeting, participants reviewed and approved the NOCAMO’s project’s overall progress and expenditure statements for 2024. The steering committee noted the progress made in the implementation of project activities, particularly, the committee highlighted progress in the three major focus areas:

• Marine Spatial Planning: Laying institutional and knowledge foundations for multi-stakeholder-based marine spatial planning (MSP) for the Northern Mozambique Channel (NMC) region.
• Oil and Gas Practices: Promoting the best practices in the oil and gas sector among governments and private sector champions to mitigate impacts in the sector to preserve the biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• Community-based Resource Management: Strengthening learning networks to secure community livelihoods and well-being through community-based marine resource management.

Additionally, the steering committee endorsed both the 2025 budget and the implementation schedule. This meant that partners had agreed on the key activities to be carried out in the current year, along with the funding needed to support them. Some key activities planned for the 2025 implementation period include:

• Facilitating experience exchanges with relevant regional seas conventions and other ongoing regional processes, and continued establishment of links with relevant regional bodies, including Regional Economic Commissions.
• Validation of the MSP technical guidelines for the NMC region and monitoring the implementation of the roadmap for MSP in the NMC region.
• Development of knowledge products and supporting tools to inform decision-making for multi-stakeholder-based MSP in the NMC region.
• Implementing, evaluating, promoting, and upscaling learning network activities to promote shared learning and replication of best practices in community-based marine resource management.

In the final two days of the week, the Nairobi Convention Secretariat inducted newly elected Bureau members from COP11 and oriented National Focal Points on the history and legal mandate of the Convention, Rules and Procedures and Decision-making structures established under the Convention. The meeting delved into the 2025–2028 Programme of Work (PoW), COP11 decisions, learned about the PoW’s five core components, and mapped out how to align national strategies with global commitments like the SDGs, Paris Agreement, and the High Seas Treaty.

Participants identified key action areas, set timelines, and planned resources to advance the PoW. They also agreed on new coordination and reporting mechanisms, aiming to foster stronger regional collaboration through policy harmonization, data sharing, and joint initiatives. By the end, members had a clear Implementation Plan detailing resources, milestones, and timelines for each PoW component.

Additionally, the Secretariat showcased 40 years of the Convention’s progress and highlighted financial opportunities, emphasizing that regional partnerships and trust fund mechanisms are crucial for sustaining the Convention’s work in the Western Indian Ocean.

By the close of the week on 31 January 2025, the Nairobi Convention and Partners had:

• Provided technical feedback for the finalization of the draft OA Action Plan and Ecosystem Monitoring Framework for the WIO.
• Extended major project deadlines and endorsed new budgets under the SAPPHIRE, and NOCAMO projects.
• Inducted newly elected Bureau members and oriented National Focal Points on the PoW 2025–2028, reinforcing a shared vision for sustainable coastal and marine management in the WIO.

Moving forward, Contracting Parties and partners will operationalize these strategies, prepare for next-phase milestones, and continue with collaborative efforts toward the twelfth Conference of Parties to the Nairobi Convention-COP 12