Rwanda hosts the 11th Africa & Arab Dialogue on Biodiversity Finance

From 25 to 27 June 2025, more than 150 biodiversity-finance experts and senior government officials from over 55 countries across Africa and the Arab States are meeting in Kigali to turn conservation plans into investments that deliver results for people and planet.

Hosted by the Government of Rwanda and the United Nations Development Programme’s Biodiversity Finance Initiative (UNDP-BIOFIN), the dialogue on Biodiversity Finance marks a decisive shift from mapping funding gaps to rolling out finance solutions – such as green bonds, nature-based insurance and biodiversity credits – tailored to national priorities.

The Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) is a global partnership, led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) working with over 133 countries to develop and implement finance solutions for nature. It helps governments identify, mobilize, and align public and private financial flows to close the biodiversity finance gap and integrate biodiversity into national planning, budgeting, and economic policy.

Dr. Valentine Uwamariya, Rwanda’s Minister of Environment, reflected on the relevance of biodiversity finance in conservation efforts. “Whether through public budgets, private sector investments, or innovative financing mechanisms, we must scale up and diversify our funding sources”, she said.

Following the successful restoration and transformation of Nyandungu Wetland into an Eco-Park, Rwanda has continued its ambitious commitment to urban ecological restoration by embarking on the rehabilitation of five additional wetlands in the City of Kigali, Dr. Uwamariya highlighted, emphasizing that the initiative not only reinforces Rwanda’s commitment to nature-based solutions within urban settings, but also demonstrates how ecological restoration can be integrated with sustainable urban development.

Juliet Kabera, Director General of the Rwanda Environment Management Authority, states there is a need of a shared commitment to closing the biodiversity finance gap.

“Like many countries, Rwanda faces a persistent challenge: the gap between ambition and finance. We have policies, the political will but the resources remain limited, fragmented, and heavily donor-dependent. We need to move from intention to implementation. And we must unlock new sources of finance: from domestic budgets, innovative instruments, and public–private partnerships that align profits with the planet”, she said.

 “Biodiversity is critical infrastructure,” said Fatmata Lovetta Sesay, UNDP Resident Representative in Rwanda. “Nature underpins food security, water, health, and climate resilience. Without it, our economic future rests on unstable ground. Our budgets must begin to reflect biodiversity’s true value. Rwanda is an example of what’s possible when leadership meets innovation. By digitizing enforcement and reinvesting in ecosystems, Rwanda is not only protecting nature – it is powering inclusive, sustainable development.”

Finance for Finance

Africa and the Arab States are home to some of the world’s most important ecosystems. But despite their natural wealth, these regions face serious financing gaps. The global shortfall in biodiversity funding is estimated at over $700 billion per year. As traditional development aid continues to decline, the need for more catalytic funding models has never been greater.

Finance for finance, the strategic use of limited donor resources to unlock much larger pools of public and private finance, offers a critical pathway forward.

UNDP’s BIOFIN has deployed a finance-for-finance approach in 41 countries to catalyze over US$1.6 billion for nature since 2018.

‘Harmful’ Subsidies and Private sector on the radar

 Countries increasingly recognize that repurposing harmful subsidies offers a double win: it not only offers fiscal savings for governments but also delivers major biodiversity gains by ending incentives that drive environmental destruction. UNDP-BIOFIN is supporting countries to identify and reverse public spending that is harmful to nature.

A global shift to nature-positive economies could generate as much as $10 trillion in new business opportunities, according to UNDP’s Nature Pledge – a flagship commitment to support 140 countries to achieve the global biodiversity targets. The conference momentum feeds directly into countries’ efforts to meet the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets and craft resilient, nature-positive economies.

Photos: REMA