Participants pose for a group photo during the Regional Workshop on Integrated Landscape-Seascape Modelling for Climate Resilience Development in East Africa, being held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 22–24 September 2026./HANDOUT
The Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) has launched the Biodiversity Outlook for Eastern and Southern Africa (BOESA), a regional resource aimed at improving access to biodiversity information and supporting evidence-based conservation and policy action.
The publication was launched on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, during the Regional Workshop on Integrated Landscape-Seascape Modelling for Climate Resilience Development in East Africa in Nairobi.
The workshop is taking place from September 22 to 24 and brings together regional stakeholders to discuss approaches to climate resilience and development.
BOESA, developed by the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) in collaboration with the European Union, covers 24 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa.
According to RCMRD, the publication brings together biodiversity information, regional perspectives and practical experiences to improve understanding of the region’s biodiversity and the measures needed to conserve it.
It also highlights the importance of accessible, credible and locally relevant information in conservation planning and decision-making.
Sanne Willems, Regional Partnerships at the Delegation of the European Union to Kenya, said research gathered through various programmes often fails to translate into policy and action.
“We have seen many programmes over the years conduct incredibly valuable research, but we often lack the next step of translating it into policy and, therefore, into action,” Willems said.
She said BOESA was intended to help bridge that gap by making biodiversity information more accessible while strengthening countries’ capacity to act on available data.
“Collecting data is not enough. This programme is translating that data into very accessible information for young people as well as decision-makers, while also building the capacities of different countries to take action based on the information collected,” she said.
RCMRD Director General Dr Emmanuel Nkurunziza said the publication brings together data, knowledge and regional experiences to support biodiversity conservation decisions.
“BOESA reflects the importance of bringing together data, knowledge and regional experiences to support informed decisions for biodiversity conservation,” Nkurunziza said.
He said making biodiversity information more accessible would support a range of stakeholders involved in conservation and development.
“By making this information more accessible, we aim to support policymakers, conservation practitioners, researchers, development partners and communities in advancing nature-positive action across the region,” he said.
The launch comes as countries work towards the 2030 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
From left: Dr Emmanuel Nkurunziza, Director General, RCMRD; Sanne Willems, Regional Partnership Officer, Delegation of the European Union to Kenya; Piero Nardi, ArcX Technical Assistance Team; and Thomas Yatich, Delegation of the European Union to Kenya, display the newly launched Biodiversity Outlook for Eastern & Southern Africa (BOESA). The publication compiles biodiversity data, information, case studies and insights from 24 countries across the region./HANDOUT
It also comes ahead of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), scheduled for October 19 to 30, 2026, in Yerevan, Armenia.
COP17 will feature the first global review of collective progress in implementing the framework.
RCMRD said BOESA will provide a reference for understanding progress, identifying gaps and strengthening action for nature.
Developed under the RCoE-ESA initiative, the publication also supports RCMRD’s work in applying geospatial information, Earth observation and knowledge-sharing to environmental challenges and sustainable development.
The centre said BOESA will provide a platform for shared learning, regional visibility and stronger collaboration as countries work towards a nature-positive future.
