The ArcX cross-regional workshop on Biodiversity and Forests took place from 20 to 24 April 2026 at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra, Italy. Bringing together key partners from across Africa and Europe, the workshop provided an opportunity to take stock of progress, strengthen collaboration and agree on priorities for the next phase of the programme.

Participants included representatives from DG INTPA, CIFOR-ICRAF, the Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE), the University of Ghana, the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), the Observatory for the Forests of Central Africa (OFAC), B4Life, AGRECO and AESA.

Over five days, participants exchanged views and worked together on several key areas, including:

- the state of play and progress of the ArcX programme;
- opportunities for interaction and collaboration with the NaturAfrica initiative;
- the role of Regional Centres of Excellence (RCoEs) as technical and scientific cooperation centres supporting the implementation and monitoring of the Global Biodiversity Framework;
- progress and future plans for the Integrated Management Effectiveness Tool (IMET); and
- priorities for strengthening the programme’s visibility, communication and long-term sustainability.

The workshop concluded with the development of a shared action plan for 2026 and beyond, providing a common framework for continued collaboration among partners and Regional Centres of Excellence.

The workshop proceedings are now available. Download the proceedings here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gwyxvd8bbyFkIEkE4vU5eQozwxX_Ec-A/view?usp=sharing