The Regional Centre of Excellence for Biodiversity,
Forests, and Seascape Ecosystems Management in Eastern and Southern Africa (RCoE-ESA),
hosted by the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) has
launched the RCoE-ESA Map Book, a dynamic new resource designed to support
data-driven conservation and sustainable planning across the region.
Speaking during the celebrations Dr Emmanuel Nkurunzinza the Director General RCMRD said the information presented is a call to action for policymakers, conservation practitioners,researchers, and development partners.“Geospatial science is a powerful tool for conservation and sustainable development.Through data-driven planning and ecosystem mapping, we can restore biodiversity-rich forests, seascapes, wetlands, and other vital ecosystems,”
The RCoE-ESA Map Book shows how the 24 countries are progressing toward Target 3
of the Global Biodiversity Framework, which calls for 30% of the earth’s land and sea to be conserved through the establishment of Protected Areas (PAs) and Other Effective AreaBased Conservation Measures (OECMs).
Spanning across 24 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa, the Map Book features rich spatial and thematic content, highlighting biodiversity hotspots, a comprehensive analysis of protected and conserved areas and trans boundary conservation networks. Through highquality maps, it also identifies critical gaps in protection coverage, making it a vital tool for
policymakers, conservation practitioners, researchers, and development partners.
As pressures such as climate change, habitat degradation, and unsustainable land use
intensify, the need for informed, data-driven policy interventions has never been greater. The
Map Book is a powerful new tool that is expected to guide conservation priorities, policy
formulation, and sustainable land and sea use planning.
The unveiling of the Map Book coincides with the Integrated Management Effectiveness
Tool (IMET) Sensitization Training Workshop at RCMRD. IMET is a digital platform that
supports planning, monitoring, and evaluation of protected and conserved areas to enhance
ecosystem management and sustainability. The workshop will equip stakeholders with the
skills needed to evaluate and enhance ecosystem management, paving the way for long-term
delivery of ecosystem services to dependent communities.
The launch is taking place during the RCMRD@50 Golden Jubilee celebrations, marking
five decades of regional leadership in Geospatial Science, Earth Observation, and Capacity
Development. With the support of its 20 Member States and development partners, RCMRD
has grown into a trusted institution serving more than 500 million people in Eastern and
Southern Africa.
