Author: Laudato Si Movement, Evans Otieli, Flavian Wanzala
What happens when grassroots leaders step onto the continental stage?
At AMCEN@40, we witnessed it firsthand. Evans Otieli and Flavian Wanzala, dedicated Laudato Si’ Animators, joined this historic Regional Consultative Meeting—where the future of Africa’s environment took center stage.
Bringing together over 200 delegates from 23 nations—including the President of Kenya, African Ministers of Environment, and senior officials from UNEP, the African Union, and Ramsar—this gathering marked a pivotal moment for the continent. With youth participation reaching a record 35%, AMCEN signaled its growing commitment to intergenerational equity and the power of community voices.
Our Grassroots Impact on the Continental Stage
From the heart of the meeting, Evans and Flavian made sure that youth perspectives and community-led conservation remained at the forefront. Together, they achieved three significant outcomes:
- Influencing Policy – Successfully advocated for youth-led recommendations in AMCEN’s final declaration, including the creation of a continental biodiversity fund.
- Forging Partnerships – Built collaborations with five African ministries to advance wetland conservation and technology-driven wildlife monitoring.
- Shaping Strategies – Helped secure commitments from twelve countries to align National Biodiversity Strategies with the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Key Environmental Wins
Biodiversity Governance
The meeting reached consensus on aligning National Biodiversity Strategies with the Kunming–Montreal Framework. Thanks to our Animators’ advocacy, the final declaration now includes a target to direct 30% of biodiversity finance to grassroots initiatives by 2030.
Wetland Conservation
Eight African cities signed the Nairobi Urban Wetland Pledge, committing to integrating wetland protection into urban planning. Evans and Flavian facilitated cross-border dialogue, leading Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to consider transboundary wetland management frameworks.
Wildlife Protection Innovation
Inspired by Tanzania’s success with DNA-based wildlife tracking, which reduced elephant poaching by 40%, our Animators secured an agreement to pilot this technology in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, in partnership with Uganda’s Environment Ministry.
Next Steps
Building on their success, Evans and Flavian will:
- Present the meeting’s outcomes to Kenya’s Ministry of Environment by 30 August 2025.
- Lead the development of a youth grant-writing toolkit to be launched in Q3 2025.
- Support the rollout of the DNA wildlife tracking pilot by Q1 2026.
Why This Matters for Laudato Si’ Movement
Empowering grassroots leaders to engage in high-level spaces ensures that local realities shape continental policies. Evans and Flavian’s achievements at AMCEN@40 reaffirm Laudato Si’ Movement’s role as a catalyst for youth-inclusive environmental action—bringing us one step closer to a future where communities and creation flourish together.
Impactful