Staff Reporter
Zimbabwe is calling for a shift towards homegrown solutions in biodiversity conservation, with an emphasis on innovative financing mechanisms that leverage local resources.
Speaking at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Cali, Colombia, the Minister of Environment, Climate, and Wildlife, Dr Sithembiso Nyoni, underscored the importance of reducing dependency on foreign aid, encouraging Zimbabweans to mobilize resources within the country to protect its rich biodiversity.
“Zimbabwe has finished aligning national targets with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) ahead of schedule. Our plan is to finalize the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) by early 2025. Our approach is based on three pillars: multidimensional planning, a whole-of-society engagement, and a robust monitoring framework that includes community-based systems for inclusive and effective tracking,” Dr Nyoni explained.
Dr Nyoni highlighted the need to strengthen Zimbabwe’s technical and financial capacities to reduce dependency on external funding, as directed by Article 20 of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
“External funding should be complementary, not primary. I call upon government departments, private sector players, and civil society to join in mobilizing resources for homegrown solutions. Citing the GeoPomona Waste Management project, a public-private partnership transforming Pomona’s waste dump into a modern waste management facility, she noted how innovative approaches are already addressing critical issues like carbon emissions, pollution, and threats to biodiversity.
“These projects not only support biodiversity but also drive us towards our vision of an upper-middle-income economy by 2030,” she explained.
Dr Nyoni highlighted the importance of developing homegrown solutions, which allows Zimbabwe to negotiate from a position of strength, aligning with President Mnangagwa’s vision of “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” (A country is built by its owners).
“Zimbabwe is actively exploring diverse financing options, including payments for ecosystem services, green bonds, and public-private partnerships, to secure the necessary resources for its conservation efforts. A key part of this vision is the “biodiversity economy” initiative, which treats forests and ecosystems as economic assets. We want to position forests and biodiversity as valuable economic assets, inviting global funding to supplement our efforts, rather than relying solely on international aid to kickstart projects,” Dr. Nyoni remarked.
The United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP 16) in Colombia is expected to help countries like Zimbabwe achieve their targets under the KMGBF through a new Global Biodiversity Framework Financial Mechanism. This mechanism will offer critical support, but Zimbabwe’s leadership aims to be self-reliant, with external resources serving as an addition rather than a lifeline.
