BACKGROUND The IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) operates in twenty-four countries in the Horn of Africa, east Africa, southern Africa and the Western Indian Ocean. ESARO’s Programme focuses on biodiversity conservation through a diverse portfolio of projects and programmatic initiatives. ESARO defines and delivers on its programmatic priorities in collaboration with IUCN members, commissions and other strategic partners. The Coastal and Ocean Resilience (COR) Programme is in charge of marine and coastal issues. The world is about to enter into a decisive period of its history. The next 10 years (2020-2030) will determine the future of our and the next generations for centuries. Unprecedented challenges require unprecedented solutions. Aware