South Africa leads regional effort to strengthen biodiversity action plans

Over 120 delegates from more than 30 countries, including Member States of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Community (EAC), and other Anglophone nations, have gathered in Cape Town this week for a regional dialogue on the update and revision of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).

The event is being convened by the Republic of South Africa through the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the African Union Commission (AUC), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Community (EAC), and the Commonwealth, with support from the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) in its role as a Technical and Scientific Cooperation (TSC) Support Centre.

The gathering supports countries in aligning their biodiversity planning efforts with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted at COP15 in 2022. It brings together government representatives, technical experts, scientists, and civil society to foster collaboration, exchange expertise, and build capacity for effective biodiversity action planning.

Speaking at the opening of the Dialogue, Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Mr Narend Singh said “ This is about working together as a region to protect our shared natural heritage and secure a better future for people and the planet.” He added “ When we invest in biodiversity, we invest in water security, food security, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods. We invest in the foundation of human welfare.”

The dialogue aims to accelerate the revision and alignment of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF),  the global roadmap to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.

As a sub-regional Technical and Scientific Cooperation Centre for nine SADC Member States, SANBI plays a central role in promoting technical cooperation, connecting partners, and supporting science-based implementation of the KM-GBF across the region.

South Africa’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan serves as a key tool for guiding sustainable land use, conservation efforts, and development decisions, reinforcing the country’s efforts to build a climate-resilient, inclusive, and ecologically secure future.

The regional dialogue will focus on taking stock on the outcomes of COP 16; sharing good practices and addressing common challenges in the development of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs); integrating biodiversity considerations into key sectors such as agriculture, health, and finance; and building capacity for effective monitoring, reporting, and financing of NBSAP implementation.

The Dialogue is supported by UNEP, GEF, FAO, UNEP China Trust Fund, the African Union Commission, the Commonwealth, and the European Union.