The goal of this pillar is to enhance WWF’s conservation model in Africa in order to more effectively and sustainably achieve the goals set for WWF’s global priority places and species in Africa. WWF in Africa will seek to do this in a way that is relevant to African constituencies and that addresses the global drivers of biodiversity loss. 

By 2020 the WWF conservation strategy and approach will reflect a shift from projects to programs lasting 3 - 5 years; programs that are scalable and that are responsive to people and national and regional development aspirations; and emphasis on policy influencing and strategic collaboration with partners.

In addition, based on the challenges faced in Africa, and what Africa could, in a unique way, offer to the Network, it is proposed to create three Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in the region on the following thematic areas:

Conservation and Sustainable Development: provide solutions to address the conservation/development nexus from a range of disciplines such as governance, social development, sustainable livelihoods, community-based approaches, and climate change adaptation. This CoE will build on and closely work with existing platforms in WWF already working on some of these areas such as the SD4C or the Africa Adaptation Initiative and others in the Network, and bring these together to craft workable sustainable solutions.

Green Growth: Provide solutions that promote greener economic choices, covering areas such as environmental economics, trade and investments with China, India and other emerging economies, environmental mainstreaming in high impact sectors such as Extractive Industries, land use planning, business & industry engagement, influencing of financial flows. This CoE would directly contribute to the implementation of WWF’s Green Economy strategy and bring together the existing initiatives and projects working on natural capital, extractive industries, PSP, etc. to provide multi-disciplinary support.

Sustainable and Renewable Energy: provide solutions to the problem to the impacts of unsustainable fuel wood consumption and the growing energy needs related to the increasing urbanization and industrialization of parts of Africa.
These CoEs will serve stakeholders on the continent, the WWF Global Network and the broader international community.

This pillar focuses on increasing the engagement, visibility and relevance of WWF in Africa to key audiences in Africa and Globally. There is potential for WWF in Africa to become a leader in conservation community influencing national and regional policies and initiatives as well as influencing the WWF Network and global partners.

WWF will focus on building the vision for WWF in Africa by facilitating high level discussions on topics related to conservation and sustainable development, engaging with the youth and public, becoming more vocal and visible on policy issues relevant to your conservation work, and strengthening communications to external stakeholders.

By 2020 WWF aims to have increased its visibility and become an authoritative voice in the region with regard to conservation and sustainable development. Through the engagement of high-level decision makers and facilitation of critical policy discourses, WWF seeks to become an important partner and thought leader in the region. WWF will work to heighten conservation consciousness among the African populace and particularly among the youth through innovative initiatives, ICT and media.

The goal of this pillar is to attract, develop and retain African leaders who can lead offices and influence decision-making bodies at all levels, while concomitantly providing African perspectives related to Network decision-making processes. Concerted efforts will be made to create an enabling environment for innovative leaders, which allows for career progression and effective talent management programs and schemes within the organization.

By 2020, WWF will develop a leadership and talent management program, standardized performance management systems, and improved compensation and benefits. Further WWF will develop a governance model that enables the attraction of influential Africans to sit on Advisory Boards at country and Pan Africa level.

The goal of this pillar is to transition African offices to well-resourced offices able to ensure strong financial stewardship and accountability, while determining and executing decisions that collectively address the conservation challenges of Africa.

A Pan African Office set up by January 2014 will oversee transformation of at least two Country Offices to National Organisation (NO) status by 2020 and the strengthening of all country offices with regard to resources, capacity and financial stewardship.

This pillar aims to increase the level of flexible and long term funding to conservation programmes in Africa and further seeks to develop capacity to effectively raise funds locally.

By 2020, programs in Africa will have increased funding from bilateral and multilateral donors, developed local fund raising capacity and negotiated flexible and longer term funding from National Organisations.