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Mombasa summit closes
The 11th Our Ocean Conference closed in Mombasa, Kenya, with the adoption of the Mombasa Declaration as President William Ruto presided over the closing ceremony on Thursday.
“Editing: Sebastián Rodríguez Governments at the annual oceans summit reaffirmed commitments to protect key marine ecosystems including the high seas and coral reefs, but observers said funding barriers and polluting projects are hampering progress on putting them into practice”
Ruto toured the Dr Fridtjof Nansen, a state-of-the-art marine research vessel owned by the Kingdom of Norway, operating under the United Nations flag and managed by the Institute of Marine Research.
The Eastleigh Voice said the three-day conference in Shanzu brought together heads of government, scientists, conservation organisations and development partners to tackle challenges including climate change, illegal fishing, marine pollution and the sustainable use of marine resources.
In a separate report from WCS Newsroom, nine African governments announced new commitments to ocean protection at the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Kenya, including newly gazetted marine protected areas and plans to develop new MPAs.
WCS Newsroom tied the announcements to the global goal of effectively and equitably protecting 30 percent of the world's ocean ecosystems by 2030.
Voices on community power
Actress, advocate, and Oceana ambassador Kate Walsh told delegates at the Our Ocean Conference that “Today, just 10% of the ocean is protected, and only about 3% is strongly protected.”
Walsh also said, “Weve seen time and again that conservation is at its strongest and most successful when local communities help lead,” during her remarks at OOC11 in Mombasa, Kenya.
In an interview published by Al Ain News, marine science specialist Gusti Ayu Made Mirah Rismayanti said coastal communities are “the first to notice the degradation and the first to respond.”
Rismayanti argued that involving coastal communities goes beyond participation, saying, “When local communities are treated as partners rather than beneficiaries, environmental preservation efforts become more robust, more trustworthy, and more sustainable in the end.”
The Al Ain News interview framed the conference as a place where coastal voices are often marginalized, while Rismayanti called for direct participation that enables communities to influence decisions.
Funding and implementation stakes
European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Kostas Kadis announced the allocation of 338.35 million euros to support the protection of oceans, sustainable fisheries, and maritime security worldwide during the Our Ocean 2026 conference held in Mombasa, Kenya.
“Download Photos MOMBASA, KENYA (June 18, 2026)– Nine African governments announced new commitments to ocean protection this week at the 11th Our Ocean Conference (OOC11) in Mombasa, Kenya, marking concrete progress toward the global goal of effectively and equitably protecting 30 percent of the world's ocean ecosystems by 2030”
Kadis said the European Union intends to invest 300 million euros in regional ocean and coastal programs in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the European Commission said the new funding package totaled 338.35 million euros.
Climate Home News reported that in the preliminary conference report the secretariat listed 320 existing ocean commitments worth $6.4 billion, with about $1.1 billion destined to address the climate crisis.
John Kerry, founder of the Our Ocean Conference, warned that “The challenge before us is not a lack of knowledge. We know exactly what has happened,” and he said the issue is whether political will can catch up with the science.
Climate Home News also quoted Kerry saying the meeting on the shores of the Indian Ocean should be remembered as the moment the process moved “from commitments to implementation.”
