Indian Ocean at the Heart of WIOMSA 2025: Advancing Regional Ocean Governance
The 13th WIOMSA Scientific Symposium, the largest open scientific conference in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region, will take place from 28 September to 3 October 2025 at the Pride Inn Paradise Resort in Mombasa, Kenya. Endorsed as a UN Ocean Decade Activity, the symposium brings together researchers, policymakers, and communities to address critical marine and coastal challenges under the theme: “One Ocean, One Future: Connecting People, Policy, and Science for a Thriving Western Indian Ocean.”
As part of this global gathering, WWF Madagascar and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) will convene a special session on Friday, 3 October, focused on advancing regional ocean governance. The session will explore pathways to implement the Regional Ocean Governance Strategy (ROGS) adopted at COP11 of the Nairobi Convention. Discussions will highlight practical tools such as Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and regional Ocean Accounts, share lessons from the NoCaMo Project in the Northern Mozambique Channel, and examine ecosystem-based management initiatives through the SWIOFC–Nairobi Convention Partnership Project.
The session will also provide a platform to strengthen collaboration, mobilize resources, and foster knowledge exchange, with the aim of enhancing resilience, sustainable livelihoods, and inclusive ocean stewardship across the WIO region.
