The African Union (AU) has urged its member states to implement decisive and coordinated measures to conserve biodiversity, emphasising that the preservation of Africa’s natural ecosystems is vital to both the continent’s survival and its long-term prosperity. Speaking during the Ministerial Segment of the inaugural Africa Biodiversity Summit, held concurrently with the First Conference of Parties to the Maputo Convention on Nature and Natural Resources in Gaborone, Botswana, AU Commissioner Moses Vilakati underscored the urgent need to move from policy rhetoric to tangible action.
Vilakati, who oversees Agriculture, Rural Development, the Blue Economy and the Sustainable Environment at the AU, noted that biodiversity should not be treated as an ancillary concern. Rather, he argued, it constitutes a foundational pillar for Africa’s economies, food systems, healthcare resilience, and the safeguarding of diverse cultural identities across the continent. “We must move beyond declarations to decisive actions,” he stated, highlighting the need for robust institutional frameworks, increased investment in nature-based solutions, and a commitment to community-driven conservation.
Significantly, Vilakati also emphasised the role of youth and indigenous peoples as central stakeholders in environmental stewardship, aligning these priorities with the broader aspirations of Agenda 2063, the AU’s strategic framework for an integrated and prosperous Africa.
The Africa Biodiversity Summit, convened under the theme “Leveraging Biodiversity for Africa’s Prosperity,” took place from 2 to 5 November 2025 and is expected to culminate in the adoption of the Africa Biodiversity Summit Declaration, aimed at guiding future policy trajectories on conservation.
Botswana’s Minister of Environment and Tourism, Wynter Mmolotsi, echoed this imperative for implementation, describing the Maputo Convention as a “call to action” that must translate into concrete change on the ground. He noted that the frameworks and dialogues generated through the summit must not remain theoretical but instead shape regulatory practices and governance mechanisms at national and subregional levels.
Originally adopted in 2003 and revised in 2013, the Maputo Convention entered into force in 2016. It forms a binding legal instrument for African states committed to the conservation and sustainable use of nature and natural resources. Its relevance has only intensified as African nations contend with climate change, biodiversity loss, desertification, and unsustainable land-use patterns.
Unlike global treaties that often marginalise local agency, the Maputo Convention was developed by African states with a view to contextualising conservation within the continent’s socio-economic realities. It prioritises ecological sustainability while respecting indigenous knowledge systems and community-based resource management.
While global biodiversity frameworks, such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, are often highlighted in international discourse, the Africa Biodiversity Summit presents a timely opportunity to foreground African-led narratives on conservation and sustainable development. These frameworks challenge reductive depictions of Africa as merely a site of environmental crisis, instead offering visions where ecological regeneration is integral to economic transformation and cultural vitality.
The summit also foregrounded the necessity of harmonised policy across regions, with an emphasis on cross-border collaboration to manage shared ecosystems, from the Congo Basin to the Kalahari and the Rift Valley landscapes. There was consensus that African countries must not only mobilise domestic resources but also demand equitable access to international financing mechanisms without compromising sovereignty or development priorities.
As the declaration is prepared for adoption, stakeholders are calling for mechanisms that ensure accountability, transparency, and the embedding of biodiversity into national development agendas. Observers note that while declarations provide an essential foundation, the continent’s future will hinge on how effectively commitments translate into practice — particularly in areas of legal enforcement, education, and inclusive environmental governance.
In this regard, the Africa Biodiversity Summit marks not just a ceremonial moment but a potential pivot toward a continental paradigm that repositions nature as an asset — not merely to be protected, but to be nurtured as a living legacy and strategic resource for generations to come.
