AMCO Makes Debut at the “Our Ocean Conference” Following the Launch of Transboundary Marine Conservation Project-Pro Campo

The 11th “Our Ocean Conference” marks a historic milestone for Africa as it was hosted for the first time on African soil in Mombasa, Kenya, from June 16 to 18, 2026. Under the theme “Our Ocean, Our Heritage, Our Future”, the conference brought together policymakers, scientists, researchers, and key stakeholders, including the African Marine Conservation Organisation (AMCO) to discuss pressing maritime challenges and brainstorm on solutions in advancing sustainable blue economy. The core action areas were: sustainable fisheries, climate change, sustainable blue economy, maritime security, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and marine pollution.

Meanwhile, a commitment to advance global fisheries transparency - the “Mombasa Declaration” was signed by 16 countries across the globe, including Cameroon. This was a demonstration of countries’ unity in strengthening ocean governance and undertaking global actions in combatting illegal fishing.

AMCO’s participation at the conference.

The conference provided a valuable opportunity for local organisations like AMCO to build and strengthen partnerships with representatives from key institutions such as OCEANS 5, Global Fishing Watch, Blue Ventures, Blue Marine Foundation, etc., who will be instrumental in translating the deliberations made into tangible actions.

AMCO equally used this platform to present its key initiatives on Marine Protected Areas, Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing through the “Stop IUU fishing project”, shark and ray conservation and many others to partners and potential funders for technical and financial support.

“It was such a great opportunity to put AMCO in the limelight at such an event. AMCO is a dedicated nongovernmental organisation which plays a pivotal role in marine conservation and promotes the blue economy in Cameroon. Dr Aristide Takoukam Kamla, President and Founder of AMCO, said:

“Attending the conference for the first time, I was particularly impressed with the resolutions and commitments taken by global leaders and policy makers in combating IUU fishing and sustainably developing our shared ocean resources for the benefit of present and future generations”, Noella MBOTIJI, Deputy Coordinator - IUU fishing & blue economy program at AMCO, stated.

It should be noted that this important global gathering came on the heels of the launch of one of AMCO’s flagship transboundary initiatives, the Pro-CAMPO Project (Participatory Marine Conservation and Adaptation for Oceans).

Funded by the European Union, the project aims to establish the foundations for the long-term conservation of the natural capital and biodiversity of the Campo marine and coastal landscape shared by Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, while strengthening the resilience of local communities and promoting sustainable management of marine resources.

The project is being implemented by a consortium comprising AMCO, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), TUBE AWU, and the Asociación Nacional para la Defensa y Gestión del Medio Ambiente (ANDEGE).