The African Union has rallied for enhanced continental collaboration to protect Africa’s biodiversity, as leaders, scientists, and policymakers convened in Gaborone, Botswana, for the first-ever Africa Biodiversity Summit. Held from Sunday to Wednesday, the summit, themed ‘Leveraging Biodiversity for Africa’s Prosperity,’ aimed to elevate biodiversity from a conservation concern to a strategic development priority, aligning with the AU’s Agenda 2063 vision of a prosperous and climate-resilient continent. Delegates from AU member states, regional economic communities, UN agencies, research institutions, civil society, and youth organizations participated in the event. The summit addressed the triple planetary crisis — biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution — while highlighting Africa’s natural wealth as a cornerstone for economic growth and community well-being. According to the UN’s World Population Prospects report, Africa’s population, currently around 1.5 billion, is projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, intensifying pressure on biodiversity and nature’s capacity to sustain livelihoods. Rapid urbanization, deforestation, and unsustainable land use are exacerbating habitat loss, threatening species survival and undermining ecosystem services essential for food, water, and income. Harsen Nyambe, Director of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy at the AU Commission, emphasized the urgency of collective action, describing Africa’s ecosystems as ‘lifelines’ critical to the continent’s identity and sustainability. He called for solutions rooted in African science, indigenous knowledge, and regional cooperation, urging that biodiversity be mainstreamed across sectors like agriculture, infrastructure, finance, and education. Miguel Cesar Domingos Bembe, representing Angola’s permanent representative to the AU, stressed that defending biodiversity is vital for Africa’s sovereignty, food security, and future prosperity. Botswana’s Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Boatametse Modukanele, urged stakeholders to translate knowledge into actionable results, emphasizing the need for community-level implementation of conservation frameworks.