Kenya, Saudi Arabia explore deeper cooperation on Coral Reef protection at UNEA-7

Driving strategic environmental diplomacy, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Dr Deborah Barasa held a meeting with the Saudi Arabian delegation led by Dr Khaled Asfaham, CEO of SHAM and Co-Chair of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), at the United Nations Complex.

Joined by the Principal Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Dr Eng. Festus Ng’eno, Dr Barasa said, “we explored avenues to deepen cooperation between Kenya and Saudi Arabia in coral reef protection and broader environmental stewardship.”

A key highlight of the meeting was the upcoming Oceans Conference, which Kenya will host from June 16-18, 2026, under the theme “Our Ocean, Our Heritage, Our Future,” focusing on Africa's ocean leadership, sustainable blue economy, climate action, and marine protection.

Dr Barasa added that Kenya is keen to collaborate with Saudi Arabia to ensure continuity, shared learning and strengthened global ocean governance.

She further briefed the delegation on Kenya’s three resolutions at UNEA-7, Sport and the Environment, Artificial Intelligence, and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), while reaffirming the country’s active engagement in negotiations towards a global treaty to end plastic pollution.

UNEA-7, hosted in Nairobi, the global headquarters of the UN Environment Programme, brings together environment ministers, policymakers, scientists, and civil society from more than 190 countries.

Convened under the theme “Effective, inclusive and sustainable multilateral actions to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution,” the assembly is the world’s highest decision-making body on environmental matters.

Kenya, as the host nation, continues to play a central role in shaping global environmental priorities, strengthening multilateral action, and advancing partnerships that protect ecosystems such as coral reefs, wetlands, forests and marine environments