24/07/2026
🪸 CORDIO at International Coral Reef Symposium 2026 🌊
As a research organization committed to translating science into conservation action across the Western Indian Ocean, CORDIO East Africa values opportunities to exchange knowledge, share approaches and build partnerships with the wider scientific community.
🌏 This week, our team joined coral reef scientists and practitioners from around the world at ICRS 2026 in Auckland, New Zealand —one of the leading gatherings for coral reef science and conservation.
This year's participation continues a proud CORDIO tradition: we have been represented at every ICRS since the 8th symposium, held in Panama in 1997.
Our contributions spanned species, ecosystems and international partnerships:
🔹Coral Reef Researcher Abigail Mwalimu presented how the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems framework is being applied to guide local conservation action and support biodiversity reporting across the Western Indian Ocean.
🤝 Research Director Mishal Gudka held strategic meetings with partners from around the world to advance the global Red List of Ecosystems project across regions.
🎤 Founding Director David Obura presented findings from the global assessment, “Almost half of reef-building corals threatened with extinction,’’ which we hope to see published soon. David also delivered the symposium's closing remarks, highlighting key scientific findings that will feed into the Global Coral Reef Summit, to be hosted by Saudi Arabia and the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) in November 2026.
As coral reefs continue to face mounting pressures, the science and partnerships strengthened at ICRS will help inform global conservation efforts, including the Global Coral Reef Summit in November 2026.
As coral reefs continue to face mounting pressures, the science and partnerships strengthened at ICRS will help inform global conservation efforts, including the Global Coral Reef Summit in November 2026.
