AfDB Pushes Nature Finance Partnerships to Turn Africa’s Biodiversity Goals into Action

Al-Hamndou Dorsouma, the Bank’s Manager of Climate Change and Green Growth, described Africa’s nature as an asset deserving investment and called for a stronger shift from ambition to implementation.

The African Development Bank Group used the opening week of CBD COP17 to press for stronger investment and partnerships that turn biodiversity commitments into development opportunities across Africa. Two Bank events examined how governments, development lenders and technical partners can support nature conservation through better policies, project preparation and financing. Discussions centred on Africa's natural wealth as a source of economic transformation, supported by coordinated investment and national priorities.

The events reinforced the Bank's commitment to delivering the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted in 2022 at COP15 of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. The international agreement commits countries to halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030, creating a shared foundation for national action. The Bank's first session explored how policies, knowledge and investment can translate those commitments into resilience, green growth and practical development outcomes.

A second session, focused on unlocking nature finance in Africa and opportunities for collaboration among multilateral development banks, brought together governments, financing institutions and technical partners. Participants examined the gap between growing biodiversity commitments and the funding available to deliver them, identifying stronger investment pipelines and coordinated financing as priorities. Their discussions connected the protection of natural resources with the need for projects that can attract capital and produce measurable benefits.

Project preparation connects biodiversity commitments with investment

Al-Hamndou Dorsouma, the Bank's Manager of Climate Change and Green Growth, described Africa's nature as an asset deserving investment and called for a stronger shift from ambition to implementation. He said turning political commitments into bankable projects requires better project pipelines, innovative financing and closer cooperation among multilateral development banks. Candice Stevens, CEO and Founder of the Sustainable Finance Coalition, highlighted nature finance innovation across Africa and the need to expand it through investment pipelines, platforms and partnerships.

A panel moderated by Innocent Onah, Chief Natural Resources Officer at the Bank's African Natural Resources Management and Investment Centre, examined practical ways to increase financing. Amita Ramachandran of the Climate Investment Funds stressed that investment opportunities depend on early consultation and preparation, with essential work beginning before projects are designed. She highlighted cooperation with the African Development Bank through the Nature, People and Climate Investment Program, which supports nine African countries.

Regional cooperation and varied financing can expand support

Ramachandran also highlighted the Bank-led Zambezi Region Nature, People and Climate Program investment plan, which spans five countries and is the programme's only regional initiative. The plan builds on established cooperation through the Zambezi Watercourse Commission, known as ZAMCOM, providing a foundation for coordinated work across national borders. Daouda Ben Oumar Ndiaye of the Islamic Development Bank said stronger cooperation among development banks could widen countries' financing options through combinations of green bonds, sukuk and climate fund resources.

Reliable data and country-led platforms build investor confidence

Rodrigo Cassola of UNEP-WCMC highlighted credible data and measurement as requirements for attracting investment, including natural capital accounting and monitoring, reporting and verification systems. These tools can strengthen confidence in biodiversity and carbon markets, supporting investment decisions with clearer evidence of environmental outcomes. The discussions also drew on the Bank's experience with initiatives such as the Great Green Wall, identifying country-led platforms, blended finance and closer coordination among development partners as practical routes to greater investment.

The Bank continued bilateral meetings and networking sessions as COP17's opening week concluded, strengthening relationships and exploring further cooperation. These exchanges extended discussions on how public institutions, development lenders and technical organisations can work together to finance nature-positive development. The shared priority was to connect biodiversity policies, credible projects and suitable financing so Africa's natural capital can support conservation and economic progress.