South Africa Deputy Minister Calls for Bold Financing to Tackle Africa’s Biodiversity Crisis
“Biodiversity is not a luxury it is the foundation of our economies, our health, and our survival.” These were the powerful words of South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Narend Singh, during a landmark address at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Dialogue held Monday in Cape Town.
Facing a sobering reality, Singh urged African nations to rethink how they fund biodiversity conservation as the continent grapples with the rapid decline of ecosystems and species. More than 7,000 species across Africa are currently at risk of extinction posing not only an ecological crisis but a major threat to long-term economic and food security.
$200 Billion Global Funding Gap
At the heart of Singh’s message was a call to close the vast ...