Africa’s efforts to meet global biodiversity targets risk falling short unless countries strengthen data systems, technical expertise and regional institutions while securing sustainable financing for implementation.
The warning emerged at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP17), where African regional institutions called for increased investment in the systems needed to translate conservation commitments into action.
Dr Peter Minang, Africa Director at Landscape Alliance, said the continent’s challenge was no longer setting biodiversity targets but building the capacity to achieve them.
“The question is no longer whether Africa has biodiversity commitments. The question is whether we have the systems, institutions, expertise and resources to implement them at scale,” said Dr Minang.
The discussions, convened by Landscape Alliance (CIFOR-ICRAF) through an EU-funded initiative, highlighted the work of three Regional Centres of Excellence serving as Technical and Scientific Cooperation centres under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
They include the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), serving Eastern and Southern Africa; Centre de Suivi Écologique (CSE), serving West Africa; and Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC), serving Central Africa.
A major concern was fragmented biodiversity data, with information often scattered across institutions, collected using different methodologies or requiring validation before informing policy and national reporting.
Jackline Karimi, Policy Engagement Specialist at RCMRD, said geospatial technologies could help countries improve the accuracy and accessibility of biodiversity information.
“Better data leads to better decisions. We need to ensure that the information countries collect is accurate, validated and accessible,” said Karimi.
RCMRD is supporting government institutions and universities to strengthen their capacity to use geospatial tools for biodiversity monitoring and reporting.
Marième Diallo, Technical Director at CSE, said countries also needed adequate financing and technical expertise to translate conservation plans into action.
“We need to look beyond the targets themselves and ask what it will take for countries to implement them. This means having the right information, the technical capacity to use it, and the financial resources,” said Diallo.
Valérie Tchuante, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist at COMIFAC, called for stronger regional institutions and partnerships with universities and research organisations.
She said sustainable institutional and financial arrangements were necessary to ensure regional centres could continue supporting governments.
Dr Minang said governments, civil society and the private sector must work together to address financing gaps and sustain biodiversity programmes.
The discussions underscored the need for African countries to invest in reliable data, skilled personnel and stronger regional institutions to turn global biodiversity commitments into measurable conservation outcomes.
