Africa: 'The Challenge Is No Longer Identifying Solutions. It Is Scaling Them' #OOC11

Lead

As Africa hosts the Our Ocean Conference (OOC11) for the first time, the continent is under the spotlight for its emerging leadership in ocean conservation—and for the gap between commitments and concrete results. The global community has pledged to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030, but translating that promise into tangible protection on the water remains a challenge. Two distinct but complementary stories emerge: one of continental ambition and partnership, and one of national-scale planning and management reform in Namibia.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from AllAfrica, the pan-African news aggregator, present two angles on the same theme of ocean governance. One piece focuses on Africa's broader role in shaping global ocean policy, highlighting the work of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) with African governments and coastal communities. The other narrows the lens to Namibia, detailing that country's target to significantly expand its protected marine areas by 2030 and the regulatory overhaul underway to support that goal.

Both reports frame ocean protection as essential not only for biodiversity but for economic development and food security. While the first emphasizes implementation and the role of partnerships, the second underscores national-level planning and the alignment of domestic targets with the global 30×30 goal. Neither report suggests the other is incomplete; they simply cover different facets of a shared narrative around ocean stewardship.

Key Claims

Continental Leadership and the High Seas Treaty

At the Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Kenya, The Nature Conservancy spotlighted its partnerships across Africa to translate ocean commitments into on-the-ground impact. Ademola Ajagbe, Regional Managing Director of TNC's Africa program, said in an interview that Africa is proving that healthy oceans and economic development reinforce each other. He pointed to the Seychelles, which, with TNC support, met its '30x30' commitment ten years early by protecting over 32% of its marine environment in 2020. According to the report, the country has since continued to develop its fisheries and tourism industries.

The High Seas Treaty, formally known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction agreement, is cited as a pathway to comprehensively protect biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. TNC is working with African governments and coastal communities to turn such commitments into practical solutions—from community-led marine protection and coastal ecosystem restoration to sustainable fisheries and innovative ocean finance. The report also notes the use of AI and electronic monitoring to combat illegal fishing, a growing threat to African waters.

Namibia's Marine Protection Targets and Management Reforms

In a separate report, Namibia's Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Inge Zaamwani, addressed the Commonwealth Ocean Ministers Roundtable in Mombasa. She announced that Namibia has set a target to increase its protected marine areas from 1.7% to 11% by 2030—a significant but still modest step toward the global 30% target. The government has aligned this goal with the international commitment to protect at least 30% of land and sea areas by 2030.

Namibia's protected marine areas currently cover 1.7%, while terrestrial protected areas stand at 39.9%. To bridge the gap, the government is updating the management plan and regulations for the Namibian Islands' Marine Protected Area, which was declared in 2009. “We have identified ecologically or biologically significant marine areas and are progressing towards declaring some as protected areas,” Zaamwani said.

She also said Namibia is developing a marine spatial management plan for its exclusive economic zone, which will guide the use of ocean space for fishing, transport, conservation, and energy activities. The country is applying ecosystem-based management in fisheries, including catch limits, gear restrictions, closed seasons, by-catch controls, and monitoring of fish stocks. Aquaculture, including mariculture, is being developed as capture fisheries reach peak production levels.

In her remarks, Zaamwani stressed that oceans are under pressure from illegal fishing, pollution, and climate change, and that “these challenges require urgent and collective global action.” She also said Namibia is considering whether to accede to the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction agreement, assessing its capacity and obligations before joining.

The Namibian report also notes that concerns were raised about how fishing quotas are allocated and who benefits from Namibia's marine resources—an issue that could be part of a motion calling for scrutiny.

Perspectives

The material includes two distinct viewpoints:

The Nature Conservancy — An international conservation organization sees Africa as a proving ground for ocean conservation, where partnerships and innovation are delivering results ahead of global targets. Its representative highlights community involvement and technological solutions as key to bridging the gap between commitment and action.

The Namibian government — The government emphasizes national planning and regulatory reform, aligning domestic targets with global goals while managing the economic and ecological balance of its ocean resources. Minister Zaamwani frames ocean health as central to food security, livelihoods, and development.