A regional workshop for Africa has placed the issue of synergies between biodiversity-related treaties under the spotlight.

The “regional workshop for Africa on synergy among the Rio Conventions and other biodiversity-related Conventions in implementing the programmes of work on dry and sub-humid lands and agricultural biodiversity” was organized by the CBD in close collaboration with the UNCCD, UNFCCC and GEF Secretariats. Held in Gaborone, Botswana from 13-17 September, the workshop was attended by 33 government-nominated experts. Participants identified both short- and long-term constraints to achieving synergies between the conventions at national level, and reached a series of conclusions regarding lessons learned for achieving synergies between the conventions. They identified processes to address the constraints and build a framework for benefiting from synergies, focusing on issues of coordination, inadequate legal frameworks, information exchange, financing, socio-economic constraints, capacity, technology transfer, political instability and sensitizing important stakeholders.
The workshop also considered a model presented by Ethiopia for developing harmonization of national biodiversity strategies and action plans for the CBD and action programmes for the UNCCD and other environmental conventions. After discussions on the model, delegates adopted a modified version to suit various national requirements. The workshop also put forward examples of project concepts to achieve synergies between environmental agreements focusing on dry and sub-humid lands and agricultural biodiversity. The report of the meeting.