The Future of Biodiversity in Africa- Recommendations

Participants in the Future of Biodiversity in Africa session at the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) conference on “Biodiversity in a Rapidly Changing World” organized by the Africa Biodiversity Collaborative Group in Washington, DC, on 8 December 2008, jointly put forward the following recommendations to the incoming Obama Administration and others to mainstream biodiversity with human livelihoods in Africa and to promote biodiversity conservation on the Continent.

The Future of Biodiversity in Africa

Recommendations

1. The US Administration should give Africa the priority it deserves in a global development and conservation context.
2. The US Administration should raise the prominence of development assistance to cabinet level and integrate conservation with development assistance.   
3. US government policies should expand assistance for capacity building of Africans and African institutions in biodiversity conservation and natural resource management, including academic exchanges with US universities for students and scholars.  
4. US government policies should promote the linkages between biodiversity, economic development, and sustainable livelihoods in Africa.  
5. The US Administration should retake a leadership position in the negotiation of international treaties and agreements relating to the wise use of natural resources and to implement internationally agreed aid effectiveness principles.  
6. The US government should demonstrate adaptability in streamlining development assistance in a rapidly changing global environment (globalization, governance approaches).  
7. The US development assistance portfolio should align with African ownership and leadership.  
8. US communities should harness faith-based institutions to strengthen their role in African biodiversity conservation.