The forum served as an interactive platform for experts from the WIO and beyond to collaboratively address ocean governance challenges, emphasizing cooperation and coordination. Furthermore, It was structured around three daily themes—Inclusivity, Innovation, and Implementation—the Forum aimed to encourage active engagement and the exchange of best practices. The first day, themed “Inclusivity,” focused on exploring diverse perspectives and fostering an inclusive atmosphere. The second day, under the theme of “Innovation,” discussions delved into groundbreaking ideas and technologies to address environmental crises and promote a sustainable blue economy. The final day, themed “Implementation,” emphasized turning ideas into practical strategies, ensuring tangible outcomes for effective ocean governance.

Plenary sessions and workshops were organized around four thematics: Tackling the triple planetary crisis, Fostering a sustainable blue economy, Implementing global goals at the regional level, and Regional ocean governance. These themes provided a comprehensive framework for addressing key issues and challenges.

Tackling the triple planetary crisis addressed urgent concerns such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Sessions highlighted the accelerated warming of the WIO, circular economy approaches to combat marine plastics, the significance of Locally Managed Marine Area Networks (LMMAs), nature-based solutions (NbS) like constructed wetlands, and the role of technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), in improving maritime transparency and combating illegal fishing.

Fostering a Sustainable Blue Economy emphasized the potential for economic growth while underscoring the importance of sustainability, equity, and inclusivity. Sessions highlighted responsible ocean resource utilization, the need for a Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) strategic framework, international cooperation mechanisms like the WIO Symphony, and the crucial role of the private sector in driving Africa’s sustainable blue economy.

Implementing global goals at the regional level focused on achieving international objectives regionally. Discussions covered the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on plastic pollution, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea's agreement on marine biodiversity (BBNJ Treaty), and ongoing negotiations on deep-sea mining by the International Seabed Authority (ISA).

The Regional ocean governance theme dived into the roles of diverse entities in WIO ocean governance, highlighting the development of the Nairobi Convention’s Regional Ocean Governance Strategy (ROGS). Participants emphasized participatory processes, outlined priorities for regional ocean governance, proposed institutional setups, and stressed the importance of learning from other regions' best practices, including the African Union (AU) multi-actor task force.

Read the full ENB-IISD's coverage here.