The Centre of Excellence for Oceanography and the Blue Economy (COBE) at The University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus launched its Blue Finance and Ocean Innovation Side Event, set to take place during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November.
The announcement was made on June 16 on the sidelines of the 11th Our Ocean Conference, during a partner updates segment of the Commonwealth Ocean Ministers Roundtable hosted by the government of Kenya and the Commonwealth Secretariat.
Dr. Branson Belle, Executive Director of the COBE, provided background on The UWI Five Islands Campus and COBE before outlining plans for the Blue Finance and Ocean Innovation Side Event, which will take place during CHOGM.
The event will open with an exhibition of ocean conservation projects from local, regional and international groups. It will then move into a discussion billed as a “beachside chat,” moderated by Charles Goddard of Economist Impact and featuring CEOs and other leaders in blue finance and ocean innovation.
The programme will also include addresses from heads of government before closing with a reception.
Ocean restoration and sustainable use remain priorities for the Commonwealth, which includes nations holding a third of the world’s ocean under national jurisdiction and 45% of global coral reefs, along with 25 small island developing states. In 2024, Commonwealth countries adopted the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration, which calls for urgent action to restore and protect the ocean.
The side event aims to draw attention to the ocean’s role in sustaining livelihoods and economies, and to spur new financing for ocean innovation and conservation projects across the Commonwealth.
The side event is being organised by COBE in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.
Photo caption: Dr. Branson Belle, Executive Director of the COBE, outlining plans for the Blue Finance and Ocean Innovation Side Event which will take place during CHOGM 2026.
About The UWI Five Islands
The UWI Five Islands, established in 2019 as the fifth campus of The University of the West Indies, represents a significant milestone in Caribbean higher education. Located in the twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, this institution brings world-class education to the heart of the Caribbean.
As part of The University of the West Indies system, which has been consistently ranked among the best universities in the world by the prestigious Times Higher Education (THE), The UWI Five Islands upholds the same standards of academic excellence that have made The UWI a beacon of educational achievement in the region.
The campus offers a comprehensive range of over 45 degree programmes spanning both undergraduate and postgraduate levels across four distinguished schools: School of Humanities and Education, School of Business and Management, School of Health and Behavioural Sciences, School of Science, Computing and Artificial Intelligence.
The campus is also proud to house The Centre of Excellence for Oceanography and the Blue Economy (COBE), reflecting the institution’s commitment to marine science research and sustainable ocean-based economic development—critical areas for Caribbean nations.