H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, AUC Chairperson

H.E. Birgitte Markussen, Ambassador and Head of EU Delegation to the African Union

H.E. Hans Lundquist, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to Ethiopia and to the African Union

H.E. Goerges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti, Secretary-General, Oganisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States

H.E. Ivonne Higuero, Executive Secretary of CITES Secretariat

H.E. David Cooper, Ag Executive Secretary of the CBD Secretariat

Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corp

Representatives of our Technical Partners

Civil Society Organisations

Ladies and Gentleman

Members of the Media

All Protocol Observed

I have the honour to officiate at this august occasion on the translation of the outcomes of the CBD COP15 and the CITES COP19 into actions to be implemented by our respective States. Honourable Ministers, I am aware that you have very busy schedules and yet you prioritised coming to our headquarter to attend this High-Level Conference. This is a clear testimony of the value you attach to this subject.

Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Participants

Biodiversity is of great significance for our cultural heritage as Africans and is a cornerstone of our economies. Losing biodiversity, threatens our existence and civilization. As a continent, this is a risk that we cannot afford to take, and as we are all aware, the environment has a harsh way of responding to our abusive actions.

It is a fact that Africa is endowed with vast natural wealth and cultural heritage intricately connected to its ecosystems. Statistics indicate that Africa has about 50,000–73,000 plants, 1,100 mammals, an estimated 3,000–5,500 freshwater fish and 2,100 reptile species.  Despite this natural capital endowment, the continent is not immune to the threats posed by the erosion of biodiversity, the impacts of climate change, and the emergence of global health crises. It is estimated that if we continue on the current trend, we risk to lose about 50% of the bird and mammal species by 2100, and about 20-30% of the productivity of our lakes mainly due to pollution, habitat fragmentation and other anthropogenic activities.

Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Participants

As leaders charged with the responsibility of taking care of biodiversity, we have a duty to ensure that we preserve their benefits for future generations too. This will involve a multi-facetted and multi-stakeholder approach. It should also cover transboundary efforts including at continental and sub-regional level. Furthermore, we need to harness the collective strength of our continent to speak as one. By unifying our voices, we can advocate for the necessary actions to safeguard our environment, mitigate adverse impacts on the environment,  and attain our collective goals on the global arena.

Our unity will lend weight to our actions and ensure that the concerns and priorities of Africa are given the attention they deserve. As we confront these shared challenges, we must focus on the areas where we can achieve the greatest impact and create tangible change. Let us forge a common African agenda that highlights our mutual priorities and aspirations and deliver transformational outcomes.

Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Participants

During the past 3 days, our experts have worked on a draft African Union Strategy and Action Plan that encompass among other priorities, the engagement of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, the promotion of sustainable livelihoods, the imperatives of sustainable use, the pressing matter of zoonotic diseases, and the critical importance of adopting a comprehensive "One Health" approach.

These topics represent significant challenges and opportunities for our continent, and it is essential that we tackle them head-on with a strategic and coordinated effort. For this to take root and be put on a sustainability path, a whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach is absolutely vital.

Our officials also had an opportunity to deliberate on the outcomes of CBD CoP 15 and CITES CoP 19 and develop action plans to ensure implementation of decisions most relevant to Africa. At this juncture, I would wish to reflect on the divergent manner in which we approached our preparation for the two CoPs. The CBD preparations were characterised by a unity of purpose resulting in a coherent African approach to the numerous issues on the CBD agenda. On the contrary, we unfortunately did not follow a similar approach ahead of the CITES meeting held in Panama. As a consequence, at CITES CoP19 we were unable to coherently articulate common positions on key issues such as sustainable utilisation, community livelihoods, disposal of stockpiles, and resource mobilisation, among others, despite us largely agreeing on these concepts within the CBD context.

This difference in approach is highly regrettable, and I trust you will all agree with me that going forward to CITES CoP20 and CBD CoP16, Africa must speak with one voice. This single African voice is crucial at a time when we are recovering from the COVID pandemic and there is urgent need for sustainable financing for development of our people and the conservation of natural resources. I trust all the Honourable Ministers present here will help champion a single African voice at the next CITES and CBD CoPs, and that where States may have different points of views, as Ministers we will take accountability for ensuring differences are reconciled before we go to the CoP. This would ensure that we do not have a repeat of CITES CoP19 where Africans were fighting amongst themselves in front of the rest of the world.

Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Participants

Let me submit to you that as a continent, we have excellent policy frameworks and we know how to develop such magnificent instruments. However, our greatest enemy is our inability to translate them into actions. It is therefore my hope that we shall all commit to ensure that this African Union Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan will be different.

To achieve effective implementation, we must commit domestic resources and blend them with the support from the international community. The commitments made during this meeting require technical, financial, and other resources to turn them into reality. Therefore, I urge our strategic partners present here and the relevant Convention Secretariats as well as technical collaborators to join forces in supporting the finalisation and implementation of the Strategy and Action Plan we are considering today.

On this note, please, allow me to acknowledge the generous financial support provided by the Kingdom of Sweden through its support to the Pillar 3 of the Green Recovery Action Plan (Biodiversity and Nature Based Solutions), as well as additional financial support from the European Union, and the OACPS. Furthermore, I would also like to thank the Secretariats of the relevant conventions namely CITES, CMS and CBD, the relevant UN and international organisations including UNECA, UNDP, UNEP, FAO and experts from non-state actors such as TRAFFIC, WWF, GIZ, CORDIO East Africa and the ABS Initiative for their technical support to this conference. I will fail in my duty if I do not acknowledge the African Union Commission and in particular the Directorate of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy for organising this conference.

Let us seize this moment, as leaders and stewards of our continent, to rise above challenges and work collectively towards a prosperous and sustainable future for Africa.

Long Live, Africa’s Biodiversity.

I thank You