BY CECE SIAGO
Kenya plans to restore 60000ha of mangrove in a new plan to mitigate climate change by 2030.
The country also plans to scale, protect and manage 39,000ha of seagrass in the country’s strategy to conserve biodiversity, support communities in the next four years in collaboration with development partners.
According to Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) data, Kenya’s existing mangrove ecosystem spans approximately 61,271 hectares and 31,700 hectares of seagrass meadows found across the coastal region.
The commitment was among 40 others made by the East African nation during the final day of Our Ocean Conference held in Mombasa on June 19.
At least 330 commitments were made worth USD6.4 billion in the summit that was being held in Africa for the first time
Speaking during the closing ceremony President William Ruto said Africa was now moving from a dependent continent to a critical partner in global affairs and should not be viewed as recipient of climate aid.
President William Ruto during the closing ceremony for Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa. PHOTO/ COURTESY
Instead, he said ocean building frameworks should be made together, rather than apart through financial mobilization, deployment of technology and innovation and building capacity.
“Kenya alone has made 40 commitments worth 1.1 billion in support of our blue economy. Delivering in full the commitments that have been made will expand our marine protect areas, restore our fisheries, combat climate change, cut pollution, build sustainable blue economies and strengthen maritime security ultimately growing our shared ocean wealth,” said President Ruto.
He reiterated that the financial burden of protecting the global ocean must not fall unfairly on those who least contributed to its degradation, pushing for changes in the international environmental funding.
According to him, the support should not come as aid, but as partnerships.
“It is in the interest of all our partners that we create value in Africa. There is a need to eliminate barriers and find new ways of financing this continent. Not for purposes of Africa being treated special but in pursuit of being treated equal,” he said
During the conference, Kenya also signed on to the global alliance calling for a moratorium on deep-sea mining, officially becoming the 42nd nation to back the precautionary pause.
Other commitments made worth millions of dollars were promotion of climate research and capacity building, establish the Kenya Ocean–Climate
Research Centre by 2027 and strengthen the National Framework for Climate Services, and promotion of climate research through the core functions and strategic vision of the Kenya
Meteorological Department as anchored in the World Meteorological Organization regulations and relevant International Maritime Organization instruments, and applicable Government of Kenya policies and blueprints.
On blue carbon, the government said it will develop its first National Blue Framework.
The country is also committing to build resilience to climate change and enhance the adaptive capacity of vulnerable coastal communities through nature-based shoreline protection, saltwater intrusion mitigation, improved food security, and integrated shoreline and mangrove ecosystem management.
Each of the commitments is valued at atleast USD150 million.
Our Ocean Conference is held annually in different countries since 2014. This year’s focus was on marine pollution, marine protected areas, maritime security, ocean climate nexus and sustainable fisheries. Illegal fishing was among the top discussions as nations discussed possible solutions.
Experts and scientists discussed emerging issues and trends, challenges and innovations that could help protect the ocean in future.
In his earlier presentation at the Commonwealth Ocean Ministers’ Roundtable that the High Seas Treaty, former United States Secretary of State and founder of Our Ocean Conference, John Kerry urged nations to intensify efforts to protect the world’s oceans, warning that the future of coming generations depends on actions taken today to safeguard marine ecosystems and ocean resources.
This story was produced as part of the 2026 Our Ocean Conference Fellowship organized by Internews’ Earth Journalism Network.
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