NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 17 – Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has underscored the growing environmental pressures facing the world’s oceans, warning that urgent action is needed to protect marine ecosystems.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the 11th Ocean Conference 2026 in Mombasa, Kindiki
further emphasized that oceans are fundamental to life on Earth, describing their protection as a generational obligation that cannot be delayed.
“Science tells us that the survival of our planet and the survival of humanity has a very close and permanent relationship with the health of our oceans.”
“Our gathering here is also an opportunity for us to reflect on the pressure that exists and if it is humanmade pressure, it means it can be managed, can be controlled. and the human activity that has exacted environmental pressure on our oceans can be addressed for the reversal of some of the effects that are undermining the health of our oceans,” he said.
The Conference that rallies together state and none state actors from across the globe in protecting the oceans is being held in Africa for the first time.
The Deputy President reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to global efforts aimed at protecting oceans and marine ecosystems, calling for stronger action to address environmental pressures facing the world’s oceans.
He says oceans remain critical to the survival of humanity and the planet, challenging this generation to reverse some of the effects that are undermining the health of our oceans.
In his address, the founder of Our Oceans Conference and former US Secretary of State John Kerry called on the stakeholders from the Oceans community to move from speeches to action oriented initiatives to protect the oceans.
” We wanted people to come to the table with an announcement of specifically what they will do and when and how much it will cost.”
“We know what’s happening now with this money, some of this has gone to financial aid, some of it to programmatic assistance, some of it through businesses, philanthropies, scientists, civil society have all initiated thousands of commitments. Folks, 41% of these commitments have been completed, tell me another conference that produces that kind of result. 41% are in progress and only 18% are yet to commence,” Kerry said.
