*For support in Asia, please contact Samridhi Rijal at SRijal@keybiodiversityareas.org.
Regionally focused, for a worldwide impact
Regional Focal Points (RFPs) work under the KBA Secretariat to play a pivotal role in the KBA proposal and review process. The RFPs are based on each continent and:
- Guide and support the establishment of KBA National Coordination Groups
- Deliver training in the application of the KBA Criteria
- Conduct the first review of proposed KBAs before they are nominated to the KBA Secretariat
If you have questions about assessing Key Biodiversity Areas or want to nominate a site, you can reach out to the Regional Focal Point for your region:
Africa
Contact: sangali@keybiodiversityareas.org
Serge Angali is the Regional Focal Point for Africa. He is a Wildlife ecologist, enthusiastic about the management of biodiversity data, GIS, and passionate about applying data science to advance conservation efforts, with a background in Protected Area Management.
Australia and the Pacific Islands
Contact: Mark.Obrien@birdlife.org
Mark O’Brien is the Regional Focal Point for Australia and Oceania. Mark spent 14 years in Fiji with BirdLife International as Regional Programme Coordinator and is now based in the UK. Mark is currently focus on updating Marine KBAs in the Pacific, supporting four active NCGs, and helping establish new ones.
Americas
Contact: CTobar@keybiodiversityareas.org
Cecilia Tobar Suárez is the Regional Focal Point for South and Central America and the Caribbean region. She has been working closely with country coordinators to identify KBAs in the Andes. Her experience focuses on analysing species diversity in different landscapes and at various scales, from a taxonomic and functional perspective, using amphibians as a model for study.
Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East
Contact: Catherine.numa@iucn.org
Catherine Numa, Regional Focal Point for Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. She is the Biodiversity Standards & Indicators Manager at IUCN, holds a PhD in Biodiversity, and has over 15 years of experience leading Red List assessments, KBA identification, and strategic conservation planning, with a focus on Mediterranean species and ecosystems.