Ailars DAVID

Ailars DAVID is a Tanzanian marine scientist dedicated to empowering youth and indigenous coastal communities in ocean restoration and sustainability. He is the founder and hub leader of Sustainable Ocean Alliance Tanzania (SOA Tanzania), a youth-led NGO driving marine conservation initiatives and an official hub of the global Sustainable Ocean Alliance.

Ailars also serves as the Country Coordinator for the Western Indian Ocean Early Career Scientist Network (WIOECSN) under WIOMSA and as Tanzania's Country Champion for the High Seas Treaty Ratification with the High Seas Alliance (HSA). In his professional role, he works as a Marine Conservation Warden for Mafia Island MPA in Marine Parks and Reserves Tanzania, under the Tanzanian Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries.

Passionate about bridging science, policy, and community action, Ailars has represented ocean conservation efforts on global platforms, including UNFCCC, COP27, and COP28, the UN Ocean Conference 2022, and the 9th Our Ocean Conference in Greece. His initiatives have empowered over 695 youth and local communities, leading to the restoration of vital blue carbon ecosystems, including mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass meadows.

With a commitment to ocean sustainability, Ailars continues to drive impactful solutions at the intersection of environmental conservation, climate action, and community development in Tanzania and beyond.