African and Commonwealth nations gathered in Mombasa, Kenya, on Tuesday called for urgent implementation of the High Seas Treaty (formally the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, a landmark accord that entered into force in January 2026 to enable protected areas in international waters), warning that global ocean conservation remains largely theoretical. Speaking at the 11th Our Ocean Conference — held on African soil for the first time — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry noted that while 10% of the ocean is nominally under protection, only 3% is highly or fully protected, with the rest amounting to "lines on a map." The European Union pledged €338 million at the conference toward ocean conservation, sustainable fisheries, and maritime security, as delegates stressed that the coming months will determine whether the treaty becomes a genuine turning point or another unfulfilled international commitment.