Gaborone (Botswana), November 6, 2025 (SPS) – The Sahrawi Republic took part in the First African Biodiversity Summit, organized by the African Union (AU) in cooperation with the Government of Botswana from November 2 to 5 in the capital, Gaborone, under the theme “Harnessing Africa’s Biodiversity for Prosperity.” The summit was officially opened by the President of Botswana, Dr. Duma Gideon Boko, and the Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission, Mrs. Selma Haddadi, in the presence of senior officials from various countries and organizations.
The Sahrawi Republic was represented by Mr. Abbah Elmed, Ambassador of the Sahrawi Republic to Botswana and its Permanent Representative to the Southern African Development Community (SADC), accompanied by his deputy Mr. Mohamed Embirik. They took part in the working sessions and discussions that brought together high-level policymakers, representatives of the private sector, civil society organizations, indigenous peoples, youth, and development partners.
The summit — the first of its kind on the continent — served as a platform to strengthen African cooperation in protecting natural resources and biodiversity, and to exchange experiences on sustainability in support of Africa’s economic and social development.
During the sessions, African ministers and experts discussed ways to tackle environmental challenges related to biodiversity loss, climate change, and desertification, stressing the importance of sustainable management of natural resources as a cornerstone for achieving the goals of Africa’s Agenda 2063.
The summit concluded with the adoption of the Gaborone Declaration, which outlines guiding principles for the AU and its member states to shape future environmental policies and strengthen continental and international partnerships to protect Africa’s biodiversity.
In their interventions during the discussions, the representatives of the Sahrawi Republic reaffirmed the state’s commitment to protecting its rich and diverse natural environment, despite the difficult conditions imposed by the situation of occupation, and called for enhanced African cooperation in protecting environmental resources and combating climate change.
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