The Ninth Session of the IOC Sub-Commission for Africa and the Adjacent Island States (IOCAFRICA-IX) will be held in Mombasa, Kenya, on 15 June 2026, preceded by a strategic workshop on 14 June 2026. The Session will bring together representatives of IOCAFRICA’s 38 Member States, IOC programmes, regional organizations and partners to review progress since the Eighth Session, assess implementation of the IOCAFRICA Workplan, and provide guidance on future priorities for ocean science and sustainable ocean development in Africa.

Convened at a strategic moment for both Africa and the IOC, the Session will contribute African perspectives to the implementation of the IOC Results Framework, the “IOC and the Future of the Ocean” process, and preparations for the next IOC Medium-Term Strategy. Discussions will focus on ocean observations, early warning systems, ocean data and information management, ocean-climate action, marine spatial planning, capacity development, Ocean Decade implementation, partnerships and resource mobilization, while identifying priorities for the 2028–2029 planning cycle.