Regional Stakeholders Workshop in Mozambique sets new commitments for resilient Miombo landscapes

The Third Regional Stakeholders Workshop for Southern Africa of the GEF-7 Dryland Sustainable Landscapes Impact Program (DSL-IP) concluded today in Maputo with renewed commitments to accelerate action on sustainable land management, biodiversity conservation and climate resilience in the Miombo-Mopane ecoregion.

Over five days, the workshop brought together more than one hundred stakeholders from governments, international organizations, civil society, academia, the private sector and local communities. Participants exchanged knowledge, assessed progress and identified new pathways to restore degraded lands, enhance livelihoods and align regional and global priorities.

Key outcomes

The workshop resulted in a series of concrete outcomes, including:

• Strengthened partnerships under the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Great Green Wall Initiative and the Miombo Initiative, reinforcing regional solidarity.
• New private sector linkages, showcased through the Regional Private Sector Matchmaking Expo, where producers, investors and financial institutions explored climate-resilient supply chains and green finance opportunities.
• Policy recommendations from the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), guiding countries to integrate forest and land management policies and align them with the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030 and Sustainable Development Goals.
• Regional commitments to expand the Regional Exchange Mechanism (REM), providing a stronger platform for South-South collaboration, knowledge sharing and funding mobilization.

Mozambique’s leadership

As host country, Mozambique highlighted its leadership through initiatives such as MozBio, the Maputo Declaration, and the Transboundary Miombo Project. These examples demonstrated how biodiversity conservation and rural development can go hand in hand, inspiring other countries in the region to adopt similar approaches.

“This workshop has shown the power of collective action – when governments, communities, partners and the private sector come together, we can turn ambition into impact.”

Looking ahead

The conclusions of the Maputo workshop mark a pivotal moment as the DSL-IP reaches its midpoint. By aligning regional actions with global frameworks such as the UNCCD, UNFCCC, CBD and the Global Forest Goals, countries are better positioned to achieve land degradation neutrality, restore ecosystems and build resilience for millions of people across Southern Africa.

The outcomes will also inform upcoming global platforms, including the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF21) and UNFCCC COP30, ensuring that lessons from Southern Africa contribute to global commitments.