GABORONE, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- President of Botswana Duma Boko on Wednesday announced his country's support for the Africa Biodiversity Fund and urged the African countries to reshape their economies around the value of nature to address a critical conservation funding shortfall.
Speaking at the first Africa Biodiversity Summit held in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, Boko urged African countries to ensure that the value of biodiversity is embedded in economic planning, development strategies, and governance frameworks.
Biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution, land degradation, shrinking forests, water scarcity, rising human-wildlife conflict, fragmented wildlife corridors, and invasive species threaten the well-being and security of the communities, he said.
"Prosperity must be defined not only by gross domestic product, but in secure food systems, clean water, resilient communities, and healthy ecosystems that buffer the shocks of climate change," Boko said.
He stressed that Africa carries large gaps in conservation finance. Botswana, therefore, supports the establishment of the Africa Biodiversity Fund to bridge this gap.
Boko also called for a collective effort to mobilize domestic and international resources, incentivize private investment, and explore innovative tools like green bonds and biodiversity credits.
African Union (AU) Commission Deputy Chairperson Selma Malika Haddadi said the AU is ready to help its members implement the AU Biodiversity Strategy and align it with continental and global goals.
Held under the theme of Leveraging Biodiversity For Africa's Prosperity, the summit, lasting from Nov. 2 to Nov. 5, came to conclusion with the adoption of the Africa Biodiversity Summit Declaration.
The summit served as a continental platform for aligning Africa's priorities under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and advancing the AU Biodiversity Strategy.
