NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 22 – The Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) has launched a biodiversity report covering 24 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa to support conservation planning and policy decisions.

The Biodiversity Outlook for Eastern and Southern Africa (BOESA) brings together biodiversity data, regional perspectives and experiences to improve access to information on the region’s natural resources.

The publication was launched in Nairobi during a regional workshop on integrated landscape-seascape modelling for climate-resilient development in East Africa, running from September 22 to 24.

The report was developed under the RCoE-ESA initiative in collaboration with the European Union.

European Union Regional Partnerships representative Sanne Willems said the report would help turn research and data into information that can be used by policymakers and other stakeholders.

“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.

RCMRD Director General Dr Emmanuel Nkurunziza said the publication brings together data, knowledge and regional experiences to support biodiversity conservation.

“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,” Nkurunziza said.

The launch comes as countries work towards the 2030 targets under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity is scheduled for October 19 to 30, 2026, in Yerevan, Armenia.