Nairobi, March 25 (Swara) – The East African Wild Life Society’s (EAWLS) Executive Director, Nancy Ogonje, has been elected as the new president of the Consortium for the Conservation of the Coastal and Marine Ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO-C). Her election follows the recently concluded WIO-C members’ vote held on March 12, 2025, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
After her election, Ms Ogonje underscored the importance of a unified regional approach to achieving WIO-C’s priorities. “I am honoured by the WIO-C community’s trust in the East African Wild Life Society’s leadership for the next two years. We will focus on strengthening regional collaboration, working closely with sub-committees and thematic working groups to advance the Consortium’s shared goals.”
In her new role, Ms Ogonje pledged to work with member organisations to align with the 2025-2028 Nairobi Convention Work Programme and drive the implementation of decisions made during the Convention’s 11th Conference of Parties (COP). These decisions focus on integrated ocean governance, capacity building for Contracting Parties and key stakeholders, improved environmental quality, area-based conservation planning, and ocean sustainability.
Key priorities identified during the meeting include tackling plastic pollution, advancing fisheries management, addressing biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ), promoting sustainable and innovative ocean finance mechanisms, and strengthening Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECMs). In addition to the presidency, EAWLS will co-chair the Plastic Pollution Thematic Working Group, reinforcing its commitment to addressing one of the region’s most pressing environmental challenges.
WIO-C is a consortium of international and regional non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working with intergovernmental agencies to support marine and coastal ecosystem management in the Western Indian Ocean. Its core activities include networking, coordination, lobbying, decision support, resource mobilisation, and programme implementation. Established during the 5th Meeting of Contracting Parties to the Nairobi Convention in November 2007 in Johannesburg, South Africa, WIO-C continues to be hosted by the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA).
