Nairobi, May 26 -- Growing up, all I ever wanted was to work underwater as a marine conservationist. But it wasn't until my first job in Mombasa - waiting under baobab trees for fishers to return so I could measure their catch - that I realised the ocean is much more than what lies beneath the surface.

Along Kenya's coastline, I saw first-hand how deeply people's lives are intertwined with the sea. The ocean shapes daily rhythms, livelihoods, culture, and connections between generations. For millions across Africa, the ocean is not an abstract environmental issue. It is a way of life.

This June, Kenya will host the 11th annual Our Ocean Conference, the first time the gathering will be on the African soil. It is a historic moment and one...