Tanzania Leads Ocean Conservation

Dar es Salaam - TANZANIA has called for stronger regional cooperation to protect the Western Indian Ocean and its resources, valued at more than 300 billion US dollars (about 790.1tril/-), as countries marked four decades of efforts to promote sustainable use of the marine environment under the Nairobi Convention.

Vice-President Mr Deogratius Ndejembi, who represented President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan at the official opening of the 12th Conference of the Parties (COP12) to the Nairobi Convention in Dar es Salaam yesterday, said Tanzania had made significant contributions to protecting and sustainably using the Western Indian Ocean through marine conservation, ocean research and restoration of critical coastal ecosystems.

He said the call was necessary because the region's ocean wealth faced growing threats from climate change, pollution, illegal and unsustainable activities, habitat loss and poorly planned development, which could undermine livelihoods and economic benefits derived from the marine environment.