COP16 - side event on Strengthening Regional Collaboration for Biodiversity Conservation in Africa, Cali, Colombia, October 24, 2024

COP16 - side event on Strengthening Regional Collaboration for Biodiversity Conservation in Africa, Cali, Colombia, October 24, 2024

The OSS organized this side-event, in collaboration with The International Union for Conservation of Nature - IUCN, the African Union and other partners, to discuss the essential role of the Technical and Scientific Centers of the Convention on Biological Diversity in monitoring ecosystems and preserving biodiversity in Africa.

The session was led by representatives of the five regional institutions recognized by the Convention on Biological Diversity - CBD as Centers of Excellence for Biodiversity Conservation in Africa, namely the Sahara and Sahel Observatory, the Centre de Suivi Écologique - CSE, the South African National Biodiversity Institute - SANBI, the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development - RCMRD and the Central African Forest Commission - COMIFAC.

The main recommendations from this meeting highlighted the importance of creating synergies and supporting national institutions on the scientific and technical levels. It was also recommended to support the NBSAP implementation, while emphasizing the importance of valuing Earth Observation-derived data and products, and capitalizing on the achievements of initiatives such as Copernicea and GMES&Africa. The mobilization of funds to carry out biodiversity conservation activities and the development of decision-making tools, based on indicators aligned with those of the Global Biodiversity Framework were also raised as priorities.

By organizing this event, the OSS restated its commitment and willingness to build on its achievements and accomplishments to contribute to achieving the Global Biodiversity Framework goals.