The Eighth Session of the IOC-UNESCO Sub-Commission for Africa and the Adjacent Island States (IOCAFRICA-VIII)

The Eighth Session of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO Sub-Commission for Africa and the Adjacent Island States (IOCAFRICA-VIII). Themed Scientific Perspective for Sustainable Blue Economy in Africa.

Abstract

While Africa's Blue-economic faces a myriad of challenges (including climate change, overfishing, inefficient regulation, marine pollution and habitat destruction), weak integration of scientific research into policy and practices forms a major barrier which is attributed to underutilization of the science capacity and limited financial investments. Therefore, the IOCAFRICA-VIII aimed at closing the gap between these key aspects (science-policy-practice) to drive sustainable and inclusive blue economic development by enhancing multi-disciplinary collaboration, data sharing, and system interoperability.

Main Description

The Eighth session of IOC-UNESCO Sub-commission for AFRICA was held in Mombasa, Kenya, on May 5–9, 2025. Organized by IOCAFRICA in partnership with GOOS-Africa and KMFRI, the event brought together stakeholders, policymakers and scientists to deliberate on major setbacks jeopardizing the development of Africa's blue economy sector. These include climate change impacts, overfishing, habitat degradation, and the gap between science and policy. As a part of the GOOS Steering Committee, GEMS Ocean was also invited to particpate in IOC-UNESCO VIII. The conference provided room for capacity building, knowledge exchange, and proposed scientific-based strategies to drive sustainable ocean governance.

The key focus of the meeting was enhancing science, observations, and technology for sustainable use of ocean resources, marine conservation, and climate adaptation. Nonetheless, the meeting also deliberated on the need for adaptive management frameworks, fostering regional cooperation and ocean health. The aim was to enhance collaborations, identify research priorities, and create a summary report with policy recommendations that can drive sustainable investments in the blue economy. In this context, GEMS Ocean, being an endorsed programme of the UN Ocean Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, plays a critical role in enhancing Africa’s blue economy by providing sound and quality-assured coastal-related data to inform decision-making. This data is very important in marine spatial planning (MSP), policy formulation, and sustainable

consumption of marine resources. Elsewhere, GEMS Ocean can build efforts within the region through training in data analysis and visualization—support stakeholders in translating complex information into practical insight. This will enhance the integration of science-policy-practice for an inclusive and sustainable ocean economy in Africa. 

For more information, please visit: https://www.ioc-africa.org/iocafrica-scientific-conference.html

Partners

· Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) for Africa (IOCAFRICA).

· Global Ocean Observing System for Africa (GOOS-Africa).

· Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI).

· Global Monitoring of Environment and Security and Africa (GMES & Africa)