Nairobi, May 23, 2025 – The Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, H.E. Dr. Musalia Mudavadi, EGH, delivered a powerful keynote address at the 2nd Nairobi Environmental Diplomacy Symposium (NEDS-2), urging urgent international cooperation to protect oceans and combat plastic pollution.
Oceans Under Threat: A Call for Action
Dr. Mudavadi highlighted the critical role of oceans in sustaining life, emphasizing that they cover 71% of the Earth’s surface, facilitate 80-90% of global trade, and provide livelihoods for over 100 million people. However, he warned that illegal fishing, deep-sea mining, pollution, and climate change are severely threatening marine ecosystems.
Alarming statistics reveal that:
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19-23 million metric tonnes of plastic waste enter oceans yearly.
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Plastic production exceeds 460 million tonnes annually, with projections showing 23-37 million tonnes could pollute oceans by 2040.
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Ocean acidification and coral death are accelerating, endangering 94% of the planet’s wildlife.
Key Proposals for UN Ocean Conference (UNOC-3)
To safeguard marine ecosystems, Dr. Mudavadi proposed:
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Establishing an Ocean Science-Policy Panel to guide sustainable governance.
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Adopting binding agreements, including the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty and Fisheries Subsidies Agreement.
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Creating a UN Ocean Finance Facility to fund marine restoration and support coastal communities.
Ending Plastic Pollution: A Demand for INC5.2
Ahead of the Plastic Treaty negotiations in Geneva (INC5.2), Kenya urged:
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A legally binding global treaty covering the full lifecycle of plastics.
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Phasing out single-use plastics while promoting biodegradable alternatives.
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Financial and technological support for developing nations transitioning to a circular economy.
Africa’s Leadership in Environmental Governance
Dr. Mudavadi reaffirmed Africa’s support for UNEP as the secretariat of the Plastic Treaty, aligning with the continent’s push for stronger International Environmental Governance (IEG). He cited Paragraph 88 of the “Future We Want” document, which advocates consolidating UNEP’s functions in Nairobi.
A Unified Global Effort
The symposium, co-hosted by Kenya’s Ministries of Environment and Foreign Affairs alongside international partners, brought together diplomats, scientists, and policymakers. Dr. Mudavadi called for collaboration over competition among Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) to ensure effective climate action.
“The ocean is not just a resource—it is our lifeline. We must act now to protect it for future generations,” he declared.
As Kenya leads the charge, the world watches to see if these urgent calls will translate into decisive global policies.
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