When I wrote about the Blue Economy earlier this year, little did I know that COP12 would be coming home. Tanzania is due to host the 12th Conference of the Parties (COP12) to the Nairobi Convention in Dar es Salaam from October 5 to 9, 2026 in collaboration with the Nairobi Convention Secretariat under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The convention bears the Nairobi name because it was adopted in Nairobi on June 21, 1985. It is administered by UNEP and aims to enable countries bordering the Western Indian Ocean to cooperate in protecting and sustainably managing their shared marine and coastal resources.
Why does this conference matter? It matters because Tanzania will have a rare opportunity to help shape the environmental and development agenda of the Western Indian Ocean region. More than a diplomatic event, COP12 will provide a platform for Tanzania to champion policies that protect marine ecosystems while unlocking new sources of economic growth. The country’s agenda should therefore reflect not only regional environmental priorities but also the aspirations of Tanzania’s Vision 2050.
As I argued in my previous discussion on the subject, Tanzania’s agenda should prioritise the promotion of a sustainable blue economy. With more than 1,400 kilometres of coastline, major ports in Dar es Salaam, Tanga and Mtwara, abundant fisheries, coral reefs and mangrove forests, Tanzania possesses enormous untapped ocean-based resources. COP12 should be used to advocate for responsible investment in sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, marine transport, tourism and offshore renewable energy.
Secondly, Tanzania should champion increased financing for marine conservation and climate resilience. Coastal communities are increasingly vulnerable to rising sea levels, coastal erosion and marine pollution. Tanzania should call for the establishment of innovative financing mechanisms, such as blue bonds, debt-for-nature swaps and expanded access to international climate and biodiversity funds. Such financing would enable countries in the Western Indian Ocean region to restore mangrove forests and combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, among other challenges.
In addition, Tanzania should advocate for stronger regional cooperation in marine surveillance, information-sharing, harmonised fishing regulations and the adoption of modern technologies, such as satellite monitoring, drones and artificial intelligence, to improve ocean governance. Tanzania should also encourage the establishment of regional centres of excellence for ocean research, promote the sharing of marine data and strengthen partnerships among universities, governments and the private sector.
These priorities align closely with the ambitions of DIRA 2050, which seeks to transform Tanzania into a prosperous, competitive, industrialised and climate-resilient upper-middle-income economy. A thriving blue economy would contribute directly to these objectives by creating employment, attracting investment, increasing exports and strengthening resilience to climate change.
By promoting collaborative solutions to shared environmental challenges, Tanzania can strengthen regional integration while advancing its national development priorities. Ultimately, Tanzania’s success at COP12 should not be measured solely by the declaration adopted, but also by its ability to translate international commitments into practical investments that improve livelihoods, safeguard natural resources and accelerate the implementation of DIRA 2050.
