THE African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) has been honoured with the prestigious Africa Sustainable Futures Award, presented by the Financial Times and the World Bank Group’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency.
The inaugural awards programme aims to highlight innovative, long-term solutions to development challenges across Africa.
The award ceremony took place in London on October 30, following the Financial Times’ Africa Summit.
AWF was recognised in the Biodiversity and Ecosystems Protection category for its impactful work in promoting biodiversity economies. These economies focus on integrating the value of nature into economic decision-making, from national policies to local household practices.
The judges praised AWF for its collaborative efforts with governments to align wildlife conservation with economic development.
Edwin Tambara, AWF’s director of global leadership said the organisation’s belief was that nature could significantly contribute to Africa’s economic development.
“By working with governments to make sure that biodiversity can be seen as an economic pillar, we can create opportunities for Africans, particularly for African youth,” Tambara said.
AWF's initiatives have shown promising results, with countries like Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia and Botswana reporting a 8-12% contribution to GDP from biodiversity economies.
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AWF’s chief executive officer, Kaddu Sebunya, emphasised the potential of biodiversity economies to become the cornerstone of economic strategy for African nations.
He highlighted the importance of these economies in creating jobs and generating income, particularly for marginalised communities, including women and youth.
“As the continent’s development agenda shapes up, we expect biodiversity economies to become a key economic pillar for African nations, driving job creation, income and revenue generation. These economies will particularly benefit conservation landscapes, which are often marginalised in economic agendas, by providing opportunities for local communities and vulnerable groups such as women and youth.
“Through models like this, we can drive economic development and foster a more resilient and prosperous future where Africa’s wildlife and people thrive in a modern Africa.”
