The Convention for the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Eastern African Region (otherwise known as the Nairobi Convention) and its two Protocols were signed in 1985 and have been in force since 30 May 1996. South Africa, which was not a signatory in 1985, acceded to the Nairobi Convention and associated Protocols on 16 May 2003. Thus the Nairobi Convention has now achieved 100% ratification.

The Nairobi Convention is a partnership Convention that recognises that success in the protection, management and development of the coastal and marine environment of the WIO region will depend on effective partnerships that are built on strategic linkages between governments, NGOs and the private sector

The Nairobi Convention consists of 10 countries sharing the Western Indian Ocean Region.They are Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Somalia, Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles, Reunion, Madagascar and South Africa