Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office (Union and Environment), Hamad Masauni, has said the 12th Conference of the Parties to the Nairobi Convention (COP12) has positioned Tanzania to expand its blue economy and attract development partnerships from across the world.
Speaking at the conference, which opened in Dar es Salaam on October 6, 2026, Mr Masauni said more than 700 participants from Tanzania and abroad had attended the meeting, describing the turnout as one of the indicators of the conference’s success as the Nairobi Convention marks its 40th anniversary.
He said Tanzania had, for the first time in the history of Nairobi Convention meetings, set a new benchmark for participation and preparations, attracting stakeholders from different countries.
“The government’s aim is to ensure that meetings of this nature do not end with discussions and resolutions, but generate tangible outcomes through the implementation of projects and programmes aimed at addressing challenges facing the marine environment,” Mr Masauni said.
According to Mr Masauni, the strong participation of development partners from different countries has created opportunities for Tanzania and other Indian Ocean states to develop joint projects, programmes and strategies that can attract financial support.
The conference has also placed greater emphasis on the participation of the private sector, women and young people as part of efforts to increase their contribution to the blue economy.
“For the first time in the history of this conference, we have introduced initiatives that did not exist before, including a dedicated session for women, a programme for businesspeople and a youth forum,” he said.
Mr Masauni said the blue economy offered numerous opportunities spanning fisheries, maritime transport, marine tourism, investment in industries that process marine products, aquaculture, seaweed farming and the energy sector.
He said Tanzania was well positioned to benefit from the blue economy because of its extensive coastline, but stressed the need to use marine resources sustainably so they could benefit both citizens and the country as a whole.
Meanwhile, Zanzibar’s Minister of State in the Office of the Second Vice President, Union and Environment, Khamis Juma Khamis, said Zanzibar had continued to call for stronger solidarity among Nairobi Convention member states in protecting the Indian Ocean environment.
He said marine pollution, including plastic waste, was among the challenges requiring cooperation among member states because its impacts crossed national borders.
He added that the degradation of marine ecosystems was affecting marine life as well as economic activities dependent on ocean resources, making it necessary to strengthen laws, public awareness and international cooperation.
“The ocean has connected the world. Therefore, we need solidarity among member states to ensure that we protect the ocean and its environment,” Mr Khamis said.
UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Deputy Executive Director Elizabeth Mrema said one of the key priorities should be educating communities about the importance of protecting the marine environment.
She said plastic waste discarded in different areas eventually finds its way into the ocean, harming fish and other marine organisms and, ultimately, affecting people’s livelihoods and economies.
Dr Mrema said protecting the marine environment was not solely the responsibility of governments but required the participation of every citizen, stressing the need for people to understand how their actions affect the environment.
She said such education should be delivered in simple language to reach all communities, including fishermen, seaweed farmers and other groups whose livelihoods depend on the ocean.
“We all need to understand that whatever we do will eventually come back to affect us, and if not us, then our children, grandchildren and future generations,” she said.