The Youth Negotiators Academy hosted a one-day high-level engagement at the Liberia Pavilion under the theme “Climate–Biodiversity Nexus in Africa: Shaping Synergies for 2026 and Beyond.”
The event was moderated by the Founder for the center for community impact and sustainability Madam Lyzianah Emakoua from Sierra Leone .
The event brought together youth leaders, environmental experts, negotiators, and representatives from Morocco, Liberia and Kenya serving as panelists to explore how Africa can strengthen climate and biodiversity action ahead of 2026.
Delivering the welcome statement, Benjamin S. Karmorh Jr, Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) at the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia and the country’s Climate Change Focal Person, expressed appreciation to partners and youth participants for prioritizing climate–biodiversity integration at COP30. He emphasized the importance of youth engagement in shaping Africa’s next phase of environmental leadership.
Also speaking at the event was Yundeh Butler, Executive Director of Rural Women for Climate Change in Liberia. Butler highlighted the importance of maintaining strong climate and biodiversity policies, stressing that protecting ecosystems ensures healthy communities and a resilient environment. “Connecting climate and biodiversity is essential because it gives us a healthy life and a protected environment,” she said.
A representative of Morocco, Mr. Eman, shared his country’s experience in ecosystem restoration. He noted that Morocco has planted over 600,000 palms and is maintaining a 400,000-tree system approach to strengthen its ecosystems and enhance biodiversity. According to him, climate support should not be based on past actions alone, but on a country’s current mitigation and adaptation efforts.
