Conservation International (CI) has assumed the role of the Secretariat of the Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa (GDSA).
As Secretariat, CI is tasked with helping the GDSA's ten African signatory countries to build on the initiative's existing successes and further efforts to value nature in national social and economic decision-making.
12 December 2014: Conservation International (CI) has assumed the role of the Secretariat of the Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa (GDSA). As Secretariat, CI is tasked with helping the GDSA’s ten African signatory countries to build on the initiative’s existing successes and further efforts to value nature in national social and economic decision-making.
CI assumed the role in an event held on 11 December 2014 to amend the GDSA Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The Government of Botswana’s Department of Environmental Affairs in the Ministry of Environment Wildlife and Tourism had served as the Interim Secretariat after member countries signed the Declaration at the Summit for Sustainability in Africa in May 2012.
Daniela Raik, Vice President, Field Program Management for Conservation International, welcomed the role, saying “As the Secretariat, CI will be able to help all the signatory nations achieve the goals they set forth and communicate their successes to all members.”
CI intends to facilitate these goals by bringing its expertise and cross-sectoral collaboration to better understand and manage natural resources, including the use of the Wealth Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services (WAVES) project to account for natural capital in economic decision-making.
By signing the GDSA, countries agreed to: integrate the value of nature into national policies and programmes; reduce poverty by transitioning to practices that promote sustainable employment, food security, sustainable energy and the protection of nature; and build knowledge, capacity and networks to promote leadership and a new model of sustainable development.
CI had previously provided the Interim Secretariat with technical support, after helping to organize the 2012 Summit alongside the Government of Botswana, World Bank, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat. GDSA signatories include: Botswana, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa and Tanzania. [Conservation International Press Release] [IISD RS Story on Gaborone Declaration]