South West Indian Ocean Tuna Forum -Swiotuna

01/05/2026

13/04/2026

DevelopmentAid and SWIOTUNA Announce Strategic Partnership

DevelopmentAid and the South West Indian Ocean Tuna Forum (SWIOTUNA) are pleased to announce the launch of a strategic partnership aimed at empowering civil society organizations, fisheries stakeholders, and coastal communities across the South West Indian Ocean region to better access international development and funding opportunities.

Through this collaboration, SWIOTUNA members will gain privileged access to the DevelopmentAid platform: https://www.developmentaid.org

DevelopmentAid is a leading information and networking platform for organizations and professionals active in the international development sector. It provides comprehensive access to tenders, grants, project intelligence, expert databases, and partnership opportunities from major development banks, donors, and institutions worldwide.

In addition, SWIOTUNA members will benefit from exclusive discounted access to TenderWell: https://tenderwell.com
A powerful global procurement intelligence tool that enables organizations to track government tenders and procurement notices across nearly 200 countries, supporting more informed and timely decision-making.

Empowering SWIOTUNA Members
This partnership is designed to strengthen the capacity and global engagement of SWIOTUNA members by enabling them to:
1. Identify and pursue relevant international grants, tenders, and funding opportunities in fisheries, marine conservation, and blue economy sectors
2. Access high-quality market intelligence and procurement insights
3. Build strategic partnerships with international organizations, donors, and development actors
4. Enhance participation in regional and global initiatives related to sustainable fisheries and ocean governance

By combining SWIOTUNA’s strong regional network and advocacy role in sustainable fisheries with DevelopmentAid’s global development intelligence and TenderWell’s procurement tracking capabilities, this partnership creates a powerful ecosystem for collaboration, capacity building, and impact.

Together, the partners aim to unlock new opportunities for organizations in the South West Indian Ocean region to actively contribute to and benefit from international development initiatives, while promoting sustainable management of marine resources and inclusive blue economy growth

Innovative membership organization offering services to the international sector. Instant access to high quality CV’s, procurement notices shortlist and awards information.

25/03/2026

SWIOTUNA recently returned from an inspiring Blue Forest Conservation & Blue Carbon Learning Exchange in Indonesia organized by WWF SWIO and WWF Indonesia. Together with partners from across regions, we exchanged knowledge on protecting vital coastal ecosystems through sustainable finance, community benefit-sharing, strong legal frameworks, and inclusive governance.
Highlights included practical sessions on developing bankable blue carbon projects, designing equitable benefit-sharing systems, and building community-driven conservation models plus unforgettable field visits to Labuan Bajo and Komodo National Park.
SWIOTUNA proudly shared Kenya’s successful community-led approaches, showing how locally grounded solutions can drive real impact.
We’re now bringing these lessons back home to strengthen blue carbon initiatives across the Western Indian Ocean for healthier ecosystems and empowered coastal communities!

23/01/2026

🎉 Happy New Year, Members & Partners! 🎉

As part of our continued efforts to strengthen CSO engagement in fisheries management and ocean governance, SWIOTUNA will be launching a new 2026 Webinar Series, building on the success of our 2024–25 sessions.

To ensure the upcoming webinars are relevant and impactful, we invite you to share the topics and issues you would like covered. The series will be delivered in collaboration with our partners and technical experts.

📝 Take just 5 minutes to complete the survey and help shape the 2026 Webinar Series: https://forms.gle/T7PQznYuXJksn57q8 and help shape the 2026 webinar series.

Thank you for your continued partnership — we look forward to learning and engaging together in the year ahead. 🌍🐟

17/11/2025

SWIOTUNA and WWF recently hosted the CSO Reflection & Learning Workshop in Mombasa (10–14 Nov 2025), bringing together CSOs from Kenya Tuna Fisheries Alliance of Kenya - TuFAK, Tanzania (Tuna Alliance of Tanzania, and Mozambique (FOSCAMC), alongside its national and regional partners from WWF- SWIO and WWF-Kenya

The workshop provided a space to reflect on achievements, share lessons learned, and strengthen regional collaboration under the NORAD-funded Sustainable Blue Economy Programme.

Over the week, participants, reflected on progress since (2021–2025), exchanged success stories, explored strategies to enhance CSO impact, and identified priorities for the next 3–5 years.

The discussions highlighted the vital role of CSOs in sustainable ocean governance, community engagement, and advancing inclusive blue economies across the SWIO region.

30/09/2025

🌊 SWIOTUNA is excited to be part of in Mombasa under the theme One Ocean, One Future!

We had the privilege of delivering an oral presentation focusing on strengthening national investments to advance the implementation of SDG 14 in the SWIO region. 🌍🐟

This conversation comes at a critical time, as ongoing discussions here at WIOMSA are highlighting the urgent need for: connecting people, science,policy for a thriving western Indian Ocean

We look forward to engaging further in the sessions this week, exchanging knowledge, and building collective solutions that ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for the Western Indian Ocean region. 🌊✨

Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA), UNESCO

23/07/2025

SWIOTUNA was represented in the 15th IOTC TCAC meeting held in Zanzibar, Tanzania (14–17 July 2025). Prior to the meeting, Tuna Fisheries Alliance of Kenya convened national pre-planning session in Mombasa with key government officials, including KeFS and KMFRI. The session aimed to align Kenya’s position and led to agreements on reviving tuna dialogues and institutionalizing joint pre- and post-planning meetings with the national IOTC taskforce.

02/07/2025

🌊 SWIOTUNA at UNOC3: Championing Small-Scale Fishers’ Rights & Ocean Justice 🌊

At the UN Ocean Conference 2025 in Nice, France, SWIOTUNA made waves advocating for small-scale fishers in the South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) region through powerful engagements, key messages, and bold calls to action.

📌 Key Highlights:

✅ Hosted Our Own Side Event
Titled “Securing the Socio-Economic Rights of Small-Scale Fishers in the SWIO Region”, our side event spotlighted findings from a regional assessment of the FAO SSF Guidelines across Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Madagascar.
We brought real voices and lived experiences to the forefront—discussing policy gaps, civil society advocacy, and the need for stronger governance, equity, and fisher-led accountability.

✅ Panelist in Human Rights & Ocean Events
SWIOTUNA participated in two powerful side events exploring the intersection of ocean health and human rights.
We emphasized the message: “The ocean, sustainability, and social justice are interconnected."
Protecting ocean environments means protecting communities, livelihoods, and fundamental rights.

🗣️ From influencing global dialogue to reinforcing grassroots realities, SWIOTUNA reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive policy development, ocean justice, and sustainable futures for all.

📖 Read our full blog here 👉 http://bit.ly/40uCwbk

18/06/2025

🎤 “Human rights and ocean health are interconnected.” 🌊

At , we were honored to share our work at the South West Indian Ocean Tuna Forum -Swiotuna , supporting small-scale fishers across the SWIO region.

🧑🏽‍✈️ Small-scale fishers are true Ocean Defenders their livelihoods depend on healthy oceans, and they must have a strong voice in shaping ocean policy.

💬 Human rights and ocean health go hand in hand. It’s time we protect, recognize, and empower small-scale fishers giving them the visibility and seat at the table they deserve.

13/06/2025

Thank You for Joining Us at UNOC3! 🌍🐟

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined our side event at the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France, titled:
“Securing the Socio-Economic Rights of Small-Scale Fishers in the SWIO Region.”

The event shared key findings from a regional assessment on the implementation of the FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF Guidelines). It was an engaging and powerful platform that brought together a wide range of stakeholders committed to sustainable and inclusive ocean governance.

As we look ahead, SWIOTUNA remains committed to championing the rights of small-scale fishers by promoting inclusive policies, active participation, strengthened governance capacity, and enhanced transparency and accountability.

Together, let’s keep building a fairer and more sustainable future for coastal communities across the Southwest Indian Ocean. 🌊🤝

05/06/2025

🌊 Join SWIOTUNA at in Nice, 🇫🇷 France! 🌍for an exciting side event focused on Securing the Socio-Economic rights of small-scale fishers in the South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) region
📌 Event Title: Securing the Socio-Economic Rights of Small-Scale Fishers in the SWIO Region
📅 Date: June 11th, 2025
🕐 Time: 12:45 – 13:30
📍 Venue: Orca Room (Level 2), La Baleine – Green Zone Area

🎯 What to Expect:
This session will highlight key findings and recommendations from an assessment report on the implementation of the FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the SWIO region.

Don’t miss this important conversation!

🔗 Register here: https://forms.gle/K3Ejia9YwX6kop857