The Twelfth Conference of the Parties to the Nairobi Convention (COP 12) will be held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, marking the Convention’s 40th anniversary. This milestone event will bring together all ten Contracting Parties to review implementation of the Integrated Regional Programme (2025–2035) and the Programme of Work (2025–2028) adopted at COP 11.

COP 12 comes at a critical time for ocean governance, with the region implementing commitments from the High Seas Treaty, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the Paris Agreement.

The Kenyan Youth Biodiversity Network (KYBN) is keen to ensure that youth voices and action shape the next 40 years of the convention through fostering spaces for intergenerational decision-making, collective action on regional strategies, and harnessing youth innovation to unlock the region’s full potential in conservation, management, and sustainable use of the Western Indian Ocean.