The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region is home to some of the world’s most biodiverse and ecologically significant marine ecosystems. Yet achieving the global “30×30” conservation target—protecting 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030—requires a fundamental shift in how marine management systems operate. From October 21–24, 2024, WIOMSA supported by Blue Nature Alliance convened the
Marine rangers play a pivotal role in safeguarding our oceans, yet their contributions often go unrecognized compared to their terrestrial counterparts. Addressing this gap was at the forefront during the “Professionalization and Recognition of Marine Rangers in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) Region” session during the International Ranger Federation (IRF) World Ranger Congress, held in
From December 9th to 12th, a significant gathering of sixty Marine Protected Area (MPA) professionals from across the Indian Ocean region—including Seychelles, Madagascar, Comoros, Kenya, Mayotte, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rodrigues, and Tanzania—convened in Madagascar for a pivotal technical meeting. This workshop aimed to enhance community engagement and involvement in the protection of MPAs in these countries.
The WIOMPAN Green List Site Managers’ Workshop, held on May 14-17, 2024, in Antananarivo, Madagascar, marked a significant step forward in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region’s efforts to enhance Marine Protected and Conserved Areas (MP/CAs). Organized by IUCN and WIOMSA, together with the IUCN French Committee, Office français de la biodiversité (OFB), Expertise France,
The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), through the Ocean Country Partnership Programme, funded by the UK International Development Blue Planet Fund: Western Indian Ocean Region, has played a pivotal role in advancing WIOMPAN’s activities and impact this year. Their steadfast support has been instrumental in strengthening capacity and fostering collaboration across the region. This year,
This year, the VARUNA programme, implemented by Expertise France and financed by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), made a significant contribution to marine conservation capacity building in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region. By partnering with WIOMPAN, VARUNA facilitated the region’s first French-language WIO-COMPAS event, a landmark achievement in addressing the need for Francophone
The partnership between WIOMPAN and Blue Nature Alliance has been a cornerstone of progress in marine conservation across the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region. Over the past two years, Blue Nature Alliance has provided unwavering support to the WIOMPAN Coordinator, enabling the seamless implementation of numerous WIOMPAN activities and advancing the network’s mission of strengthening
