By Joyce Chimbi
NAIROBI, Dec 3 2024 – The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services’ (IPBES) first Plenary session in Africa is a “crucial acknowledgement of Africa’s important contribution to biodiversity conservation, which is a global public good, a heritage that Africa has the privilege to share with the peoples of the world,” says Dr. Luthando Dziba, from South Africa, co-chair of the IPBES Multidisciplinary Expert Panel.

The eleventh session of the IPBES Plenary—IPBES 11—is scheduled to be held in Windhoek, Namibia, from December 10-16, 2024.

Africa is one of the most ecologically diverse continents on Earth and is home to eight of the world’s 34 biodiversity hotspots. Its unique ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity thrive in a wide range of spectacular landscapes and seascapes, including wide-open plains, deserts, mountains, forested cliffs, coral reefs, mangrove forests and the Great Rift Valley.

This rich biodiversity offers significant benefits to people but also presents a number of challenges and opportunities amid a spiralling global biodiversity crisis.

Dziba told IPS that the Plenary is the governing body of IPBES, made up of the representatives of IPBES member States—currently 147 from around the world—who meet annually to “either consider requests from countries for new scientific assessments or consider reports of assessments that have been conducted by IPBES experts, and to consider work related to the other functions of IPBES of knowledge generation, policy support and capacity-building.”

“The IPBES members approve the summaries for policymakers of the IPBES assessment reports and also accept the full reports as well. IPBES Plenary sessions are spaces for the co-production of science-policy relevant information by both scientists and policymakers.”

Dr. David Obura, IPBES Chairperson. Credit: IPBES

Role of Biodiversity in Human Well-Being, Economy

IPBES primarily seeks to strengthen the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, long-term human well-being, and sustainable development.

IPBES plays a unique role in harnessing the best expertise from across all disciplines and knowledge communities—to provide policy-relevant knowledge and to catalyze the implementation of knowledge-based policies at all levels in government, the private sector, and civil society.

Dr. David Obura, IPBES Chair, says he is fortunate to be chairing his first Plenary in Africa as the first ever African Chair of the platform.

“The African continent still has some of the most intact biodiversity remaining. But it is not just about biodiversity for itself; it is also how society and the economy depend on nature,” Obura says.

“We, therefore, need to deepen our understanding of this connection, and this knowledge should in turn reflect within our policy processes across our countries. The importance of healthy nature and biodiversity in supporting our economies cannot be overstated, particularly because a large proportion of Africa’s population is rural. These are farmers, pastoralists, and fishers who directly rely on productive and healthy ecosystems.”

Obura added that it is crucial to understand that ecosystems can only provide security for people if they are healthy, and that the IPBES work in Namibia over the next two weeks can help to propel continental and global ambitions in line with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which seeks to halt and reverse the decline of biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people.

Obura also referenced the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and the urgent need to halt further losses in Africa in ways that are good for people as well. “It is all about supporting people while securing biodiversity,” he said

Dr. Luthando Dziba, co-chair of the IPBES Multidisciplinary Expert Panel. Credit: IPBES

Amplify African Voice on Science-Policy Through IPBES

Dziba agrees. He says this first ever African Plenary session for IPBES gives African countries an even louder voice as part of an important science-policy platform. The IPBES member States make requests for new scientific assessments that respond to or address their specific policy priorities.

The governments that are IPBES members essentially have “first access to scientific products that help guide policy on various topics such as invasive alien species, pollination and management of pollinators to support agriculture production, or other areas such as sustainable use of wild species, including Africa’s biodiversity.”

Dziba says that the eleventh session of the Plenary will be an opportunity to also raise the profile of IPBES with African experts, enabling a wider diversity of African researchers and knowledge-holders to see firsthand the value of IPBES as an intergovernmental science policy platform.

Even though Africa and its natural heritage have been a subject of scientific research for centuries, Dziba speaks of an ongoing struggle to improve participation by African experts in IPBES work. “The importance of bringing them on board is to leverage their extensive knowledge of the continent, the knowledge gaps they see and the opportunity to contribute from an African perspective. This inclusion will also give IPBES a stronger, more inclusive voice and help shape positive global narratives about Africa.”

A majority of the newest members of IPBES over the past two years are governments from the African continent. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure universal IPBES membership of all governments so that no region is left behind, towards a healthy and sustainable planet suitable for all life on Earth.

Obura speaks of the untenable state of lives and livelihoods—of large populations living hand-to-mouth—and the disconnect between people and nature as people migrate to cities where disconnection from nature increases.

Black-backed jackal on a misty beach, Hentiesbaai, Namibia. The IPBES-11 host country has five of the 13 biomes on the African continent and a wide biodiversity. Credit: Ria Truter/Unsplash

Rich Biodiversity Supports Health, Water, and Food Systems

Obura explains that among the most important business of this first African Plenary session will be the consideration of two new landmark IPBES reports. The ‘nexus assessment’ will explore the critical interlinkages among crises in biodiversity, water, food and health—in the context of climate change. It will also explore dozens of specific options for action to address these crises sustainably together, rather than in single-issue silos, with a focus on ensuring the conservation and restoration of biodiversity for people and nature.

Dziba says there are lessons that member States can take from Africa too, as “the IPBES Regional Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for Africa found the African continent is the last continent with a largely intact assemblage of megaherbivores (animals larger than 1,000 kilograms) such as elephants, giraffes, buffalo, rhino, and hippos.”

He emphasized that this signifies that Africa “has done well in conserving its biodiversity. Africa also has the largest diversity of large carnivores, such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, and hyenas. And so, as a continent, we are the last bastion of biodiversity conservation, and this is both a privilege and an immense responsibility to continue to protect that biodiversity.” But that assessment also showed that Africa, like other regions of the world, is losing biodiversity at a rate unprecedented in human history.

The second assessment to be considered and launched at the upcoming session looks at transformative change—what it is, why it is so necessary, and how to achieve it for more just and sustainable futures, especially amid the ongoing global crises that are “expanding rapidly in their impacts on people. Africa is particularly vulnerable to these crises for many historical and current reasons. The question for all countries is how to initiate the deep positive changes needed across societies, economies, technology and governance to move in these nature-positive directions. The report will help lay out building blocks and tools to achieve that.”

Ultimately, Obura says, the aim is to have the two reports accepted by the IPBES members in the Plenary to better inform and serve global and African stakeholders and governments in their decisions and actions.

“No effort will be spared to make the reports accessible to enable people to find what they need to make better decisions and choices towards a healthy and sustainable coexistence with nature.”

IPS UN Bureau Report

Follow @IPSNewsUNBureau
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?’http’:’https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+’://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js’;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, ‘script’, ‘twitter-wjs’);  

By Oritro Karim
UNITED NATIONS, Dec 3 2024 – As a result of the ongoing hostilities from gang violence in Haiti, children continue to bear the brunt of the humanitarian crisis. Armed gangs have committed various human rights violations, many of which compound issues surrounding food insecurity, displacement, and social instability for millions of children in Haiti. Children have also lost their access to education and continue to be recruited into gangs. It is crucial for the international community to prioritize the multifaceted crisis facing Haitian children in order to avoid losing an entire generation to violence.

According to the latest estimates from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), more than 1.3 million children have been affected by gang violence over the course of this crisis. More than 700,000 people have been displaced, with over 50 percent of that population being children. These figures are predicted to have increased in the recent weeks due to the intensification of violence across capital city Port-Au-Prince and its surrounding areas.

On December 2, the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) held a special meeting at UN Headquarters to discuss the deepening social insecurity that is unfolding in Haiti and how children have been hit the hardest. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell addressed the council to stress the urgency of the current situation.

“Armed groups are regularly committing grave rights violations against children, including killing and maiming. So far this year, we have seen a staggering one-thousand percent increase in reported incidents of sexual violence against children,” said Russell.

Due to accelerating violence, particularly in the capital, access to education for thousands of children has been greatly compromised. According to Russell, over 1.5 million children have lost access to education. Additionally, armed groups are actively recruiting children for use in gang operations. Current estimates indicate that 50 percent of all gang members in Haiti are children, marking a 70 percent increase in child recruitment over the past year. These children are being used as cooks, informants, and sex slaves, with many forced to commit violent acts themselves.

María Isabel Salvador, Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) adds, “Across Haiti, gang violence has turned schools into battlegrounds, disrupted healthcare, and left thousands of children malnourished and traumatized. Alarmingly, children are increasingly being recruited into gangs, robbing them of their innocence and turning them into tools of violence.”

Across Haiti, approximately 5.5 million people, including 3 million children, are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. According to the latest statement released by the World Food Programme (WFP), more than 700,000 people, including 365,000 children, are internally displaced and living in overcrowded shelters. Additional data from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) suggests that one-in-two Haitians do not have enough to eat, with roughly two million people facing emergency levels of hunger. At least 6,000 internally displaced Haitians are facing catastrophic hunger, which is the most severe form.

“Food security and the nutrition situation continues to be a challenge. The highest levels (of hunger) were reported this year, with a record level of 5.4 million people being acutely food insecure, which is close to half of the population in Haiti. Half of that number is children. 125,000 children are acutely malnourished,” said Wanja Kaaria, Representative for WFP.

Additionally, the collapse of the healthcare and water sanitation systems continues to put the lives of children and families in Haiti in grave danger. This has given way to the rampant spread of illness and infectious disease, with cholera being a major concern.

According to a statement from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), it is estimated that there are “87,616 total suspected cases, 4,858 confirmed cases, 85,071 hospitalized cases, 1005 institutional deaths and 314 community deaths.” Much of these cases are attributed to the dwindling supply of clean water, failing water systems that have been damaged from ongoing hostilities, and a severely strained healthcare system due to an influx of injured persons.

Haitians continue to face medical emergencies and deaths caused by gang violence, with limited access to healthcare. Since the escalation of violence in Port-Au-Prince began on November 11, medical facilities have been greatly overwhelmed by the sheer scale of needs. According to PAHO, the volatile and unpredictable security situation in the capital has created significant difficulties in accessing medical services for patients with chronic illnesses and pregnant women, leading to an increase in dire medical emergencies and complications.

“Hundreds of thousands of children and families living in besieged communities are largely cut off from humanitarian aid,” stated Russell in the recent ECOSOC conference. This is largely due to persisting access challenges caused by social insecurity. Despite these issues, the United Nations is on the frontlines of this crisis, distributing essential resources to affected communities.

With conditions continuously deteriorating, it is urgent that humanitarian responses are scaled up. The 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti is currently only 43 percent funded. The UN urges member states and donors to contribute to meet the growing needs.

IPS UN Bureau Report

Follow @IPSNewsUNBureau
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?’http’:’https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+’://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js’;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, ‘script’, ‘twitter-wjs’);  

By Mkhululi Chimoio
UNITED NATIONS, Dec 3 2024 – In 2025, South Africa will assume the presidency of the G20, a pivotal moment in the African country’s international diplomatic efforts.

The Group of Twenty (G20), is an intergovernmental economic forum comprising 19 countries and two regional unions – the European Union (EU), and recently the African Union (AU). It represents 85 per cent of the global economy, 75 per cent of world trade and 67 per cent of the global population.

South Africa’s leadership of this group therefore presents a unique opportunity to shape global policies and advocate for Africa’s interests on the world stage. The G20 countries include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, UK and US, as well as the EU and AU.

Chrispin Phiri, the spokesperson for the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, says the theme for South Africa’s presidency will be “Fostering Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainable Development.” It seeks to address critical global challenges, with a strong focus on Africa’s development.

Among the key areas the presidency will focus on include addressing the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequality; as well as Africa’s development which entails placing Africa’s development at the forefront in alignment with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, ‘The Africa We Want’.

Also expected to form part of the South African priorities is tackling poly-crises such as climate change, energy, food security, and debt that disproportionately affects Africa and other developing nations. Issues of infrastructure development and global governance reform initiated by previous G20 presidencies.

Phiri says South Africa’s foreign policy is deeply intertwined with its domestic priorities, and aims to foster a better, stable, and prosperous South Africa, Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, and Africa.

“South Africa’s presidency is poised to have significant implications for the broader African region, particularly within the SADC. The nation’s strategic position within the G20 will enable it to lobby for policy gains that benefit South Africa, the SADC, and the entire continent, in which key areas of focus include promoting policies that ensure economic benefits for all South Africans, particularly the economically marginalized, for economic benefits,” said Phiri.

Phiri highlighted the importance of South Africa’s coordination with the African Union (AU), particularly in leveraging the G20 presidency to advance regional integration and cooperation.

As G20 president, South Africa will also focus on addressing global economic challenges and promoting sustainable development. The nation’s policy agenda will be informed by its National Development Plan, Agenda 2063, and long-standing issues within the G20 framework.

Phiri said South Africa will advocate for reforming the global debt architecture to prevent debt crises from undermining the realisation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); and also mobilise financing to address the substantial development financing gap, which has increased post-COVID-19; as well as address the issue of (Illegal Financial Flows) IFFs, which drain approximately $88.6 billion annually from the continent, impeding progress toward Agenda 2063 and SDG targets will be key.

Professor Danny Bradlow, a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Advancement of Scholarship at the University of Pretoria, says South Africa’s priorities should include addressing debt and development financing, particularly for Africa.

Prof Bradlow wants South Africa to co-chair the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable alongside the IMF and the World Bank. The forum offers an opportunity to push for a more creative approach to managing debt, linking it to broader discussions on development and climate finance.

“This presidency provides an opportunity to address some longstanding bottlenecks facing regional integration in Africa. For instance, one of the key challenges faced by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) are bilateral trade agreements that undermine Africa’s regional integration efforts,” says Prof. Bradlow.

He urged South Africa to use the momentum of the AU admission and its G20 presidency to highlight these and push for commitments that support regional integration, in close coordination with the relevant AU organs and knowledge partners.

Prof. Bradlow notes the need for South Africa to inherit and advance initiatives from Brazil’s G20 presidency, such as the Hunger and Poverty Alliance and discussions on global taxation, particularly the contentious issue of a wealth tax on billionaires. He acknowledges that, while these are complex issues involving questions of sovereignty, they are crucial for generating resources for development finance.

On her part, the CEO of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, stressed the importance of enhancing regional cooperation and integration.

“From a policy vantage point, South Africa’s G20 Presidency seeks to respond to global economic and environmental challenges and sustainable peace, bearing in mind efforts to achieve the SDGs, the AU’s Agenda 2063, as well as reforming institutions of global economic governance,” said Sidiropoulos.

She pointed out that with the AU now being a member of the G20, there is a greater opportunity to amplify African priorities, and suggested that South Africa should focus on deepening the continent’s advocacy within the G20, selecting key issues where it can make a significant impact.

She recommended that South Africa use its presidency to address longstanding bottlenecks facing regional integration in Africa

South Africa’s presidency of the G20 in 2025 is a pivotal moment for the nation and the continent. With the AU’s recent inclusion in the G20, there is a historic opportunity to reshape global governance in a way that reflects the aspirations and challenges of the Global South.

Prof. Bradlow says South Africa’s success will depend on its ability to balance immediate priorities with long-term global goals and ensuring that the G20 remains a platform for inclusive and equitable growth.

Source: Africa Renewal, United Nations.

IPS UN Bureau

Follow @IPSNewsUNBureau
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?’http’:’https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+’://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js’;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, ‘script’, ‘twitter-wjs’);