AWF, UNEP sign MOU to strengthen Africa’s voice in global environmental governance

The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to deepen cooperation on Africa’s most pressing environmental challenges.

The agreement establishes a structured framework for collaboration between the two institutions, building on four years of partnership through the AWF-Wall Policy Fellowship.

The new MOU expands that engagement into a broader agenda that includes environmental education, biodiversity-based economic development, environmental diplomacy, and strengthening Africa’s participation in global multilateral processes.

At its core, the partnership seeks to amplify Africa’s leadership and influence in international environmental decision-making forums, ensuring that the continent’s priorities are not only represented but actively shape global outcomes.

Radhika Ochalik, Director of Governance Affairs at UNEP, said the partnership aligns closely with the agency’s mandate to connect science, policy, and communities affected by environmental change.

“UNEP’s mandate has been to catalyze global action by building bridges between science, policy, and the communities most affected by the impacts of environmental change. Our partnership with AWF is that kind of bridge—anchored in Africa’s extraordinary biodiversity and the urgent need to place African nations at the forefront of global environmental governance,” she said.

The MOU aligns with UNEP’s Programme of Work and Governing Body mandates while reflecting AWF’s mission to ensure wildlife and wild lands thrive in modern Africa.

Through the framework, the two organizations will jointly determine priority areas of engagement and conduct annual reviews to ensure the partnership remains responsive to emerging sustainable development challenges.

Kaddu Sebunya, Chief Executive Officer of AWF, emphasized that the agreement moves beyond symbolic commitments.

“This partnership is about more than agreements on paper it is a commitment to ensuring that Africa’s communities, negotiators, and young leaders are equipped, empowered, and heard in every room where decisions about our planet are made,” Sebunya said.

“For four years, we have seen that real change happens when we invest in African leaders. AWF and UNEP share a conviction that conservation only succeeds when people are at its center.”

The MOU outlines four overarching themes intended to scale existing successes and deepen impact.

Under Participation and Inclusion, the partners will work to strengthen the organization and effectiveness of African engagement within UNEP processes, the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), and the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).

The aim is to ensure African representation is meaningful and influential rather than symbolic.

On Environmental Diplomacy, the partnership will support the Africa Group of Negotiators on Biodiversity, promoting coordination and strategic unity to ensure African countries present a clear, cohesive position in global biodiversity negotiations.

The Youth Empowerment and Education pillar will expand on the successes of the AWF-Wall Policy Fellowship, nurturing a new generation of African environmental leaders and innovators equipped to navigate complex policy and conservation landscapes.

Finally, under the Biodiversity Economy theme, the two organizations will collaborate on developing sustainable frameworks that enable local communities to derive direct economic benefits from conservation efforts.

The agreement reflects a shared understanding that conservation, economic development, diplomacy, and education are interconnected.

By integrating these areas, AWF and UNEP aim to advance solutions that balance environmental protection with inclusive growth and community empowerment.

The signing at UNON underscores Nairobi’s role as a global hub for environmental governance, home to UNEP and a growing ecosystem of institutions working at the intersection of conservation, policy, and sustainable development.

As environmental challenges from biodiversity loss to climate change intensify across the continent, the AWF-UNEP partnership signals a coordinated effort to ensure Africa is not only responding to global environmental agendas but actively shaping them

Help us tell more untold stories of African Philanthropy!