Kenya is ready to host the Commonwealth Ocean Ministerial Meeting (COMM) in 2026, the Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, has said.
Mudavadi, who attended the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers' meeting (CFAMM) on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting, stated that the meeting will build on the achievements realised during the inaugural CFAMM, which was held in Cyprus between 18th and 19th April 2024.
“As you may recall, our leaders adopted the 2024 Apia Commonwealth Ocean declaration under the theme: One Resilient Common Future and highlighted the strong affirmation of action to address sea level rise,” stated Mudavadi.
At the Inaugural Commonwealth Oceans Ministers Meeting (COMM) in April 2024 in Cyprus, Kenya expressed interest in hosting the next Commonwealth Ocean Ministerial Meeting, tentatively scheduled for January 2026 in Mombasa, Kenya.
This reaffirms Kenya’s commitment to sustainable ocean governance and environmental conservation. (The Mission is yet to receive official confirmation on hosting the meeting).
During the meeting, the presidents who attended committed to the goal of limiting global warming in accordance with the Paris Agreement and its target of 1.5 °C, and stressed the importance of our oceans, forests, and biodiversity.
Like some of the Commonwealth countries, Mudavadi highlighted the effects of global warming on Kenya and the need to restore the biodiversity by increasing the forest cover.
“In this endeavour, Kenya aims to increase its forest cover by planting 1.5 billion trees by 2030,” noted Mudavadi.
The Foreign Affairs CS stressed that during CHOGM, the leadership also highlighted the need to reform the global financial architecture.
“In line with the challenges, Commonwealth Member States need to adopt a better, more responsive. And a fairer international development financial architecture to address high financing interest rates, while also dealing with climate shocks and constrained government revenues,” he stated.
The PCS called on the Foreign Ministers to leverage the collective strength of member nations to address the challenges and opportunities as grounded in resolutions taken in Apia CHOGM 2024.
Apia CHOGM 2024 resolved to accelerate efforts to protect and sustainably use ocean resources in the face of climate change, pollution, and exploitation.
Commonwealth is not a treaty-based organisation. Therefore, membership is voluntary, and decisions are taken and implemented in a collegiality manner with no binding legal commitment. The Commonwealth Charter was adopted on 19th December 2012.
King Charles III is the Head of the Commonwealth that brings together the UK and its former colonies, and whose role has no maximum fixed term. Kenya has been a member of the Commonwealth since 1963 and remains committed to its ideals and objectives.
The organisation has been assisting Kenya in electoral and constitutional reforms, institution building and supporting national reconciliation and development.
