A correspondent with the PUNCH Newspapers, and Publisher of DA News Online Dare Akogun, alongside five other journalists from across Africa, Asia and Latin America, has been selected for the 2026 Our Ocean Conference Media Fellowship organised by Internews’ Earth Journalism Network.
This was disclosed in a statement published on the Earth Journalism Network website on Friday.
The organisers disclosed that over 150 applications were received globally before six fellows were selected after a competitive process.
The other selected fellows are Nabil Ahmed Rufai of Ghana, Belinda Cece Siago of Kenya, Eveline de Klerk of Namibia, Ushar Prakash Kaur Daniele of Malaysia and Jorge Mario Rodriguez Baeza of Guatemala.
The fellowship was awarded to support selected journalists to attend and report from the Our Ocean Conference 2026 scheduled to hold from June 16 to 18 in Mombasa, Kenya.
According to the statement, the fellows will receive pre-conference training resources and technical support, including participation in a virtual workshop where they will engage with media trainers, ocean experts and fellow journalists ahead of the conference.
While in Mombasa, the fellows are expected to participate in a pre-conference workshop, daily media briefings, interviews with high-level officials and a post-conference field trip.
The programme will also provide editorial guidance and mentorship to support impactful reporting on ocean governance, climate change and marine conservation issues.
Speaking on the significance of the conference, EJN’s Africa Regional Coordinator and trainer, Gideon Sarpong, said the gathering comes at a critical moment for ocean governance globally and across Africa.
“The Our Ocean Conference 2026 comes at a pivotal moment for ocean governance in Africa and globally. As the first Our Ocean Conference hosted on the African continent, it offers a unique platform to elevate African voices and priorities, from combating IUU fishing and expanding marine protected areas to building a truly sustainable blue economy,” he said.
Sarpong added that journalists play a crucial role in promoting accountability and public understanding of complex environmental issues.
“Journalists have a crucial role to play in holding governments and stakeholders accountable, explaining complex ocean issues to the public and highlighting both challenges and inspiring solutions.
“Through EJN’s training and on-site support, we will equip these reporters with the tools and knowledge to produce impactful, high-quality stories that drive greater awareness and action long after Mombasa,” he added.
The fellowship is being implemented under EJN’s Ocean Media Initiative and will support the selected journalists to participate fully in the conference and report on major global ocean governance and environmental issues.
The organisers noted that this year’s edition marks the first time the Our Ocean Conference will be hosted on the African continent.
The conference, themed, “Our Ocean, Our Heritage, Our Future,” will focus on six major themes including Marine Protected Areas, Sustainable Fisheries, Marine Pollution, Sustainable Blue Economy, Climate Change and Maritime Security.
It will also spotlight Kenya’s priorities, including promoting youth ocean leadership and tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
The statement explained that the conference builds on commitments made during previous editions, including the 2025 conference in Busan, Republic of Korea, where governments and non-state actors announced 277 commitments valued at nearly $9.1bn for ocean-related action.
According to EJN, the ocean remains critical to global survival as it provides more than half of the world’s oxygen, supports the livelihoods of over three billion people and serves as a major source of protein for many low-income countries.
By Afsat Lawal
