BY THEMBA ZWANE
MBABANE – A photograph taken at Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary in the Kingdom of Eswatini has earned Mozambican biologist Denise Nicolau the Africa regional award at the Greenstorm Photography Awards 2026, held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Nicolau was honoured on Thursday, August 20, 2026, during the Greenstorm Global Photography Festival, which formed part of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17).
Her winning photograph, titled “Bontebok – Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Kingdom of Eswatini,” emerged among thousands of entries submitted from across the world.
The competition attracted 14 513 entries from 177 countries, with the overall global prize awarded to Brazilian photographer Márcio Cabral. Regional winners each received (About E20 000) US$1 300.
Nicolau was the only woman on the shortlist and was selected as the Africa regional winner, putting Eswatini’s Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary at the centre of international recognition for its wildlife and natural beauty.
The other regional winners were Batsukh Gantumur of Mongolia for Asia, Vladimir Tadic of Bosnia and Herzegovina for Central and Eastern Europe, Clementine Rey of Chile for Latin America and the Caribbean, and Muzaffer Murat Ilhan of Türkiye for the Northern Mediterranean.
The awards were announced by UNCCD Executive Secretary Dr Yasmine Fouad, Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Environment Dr Osama Ibrahim Faqeeha, and Dr Muralee Thummarukudy, Director of the G20 Global Land Initiative.
Visibly moved by the recognition, Nicolau said the award was not only a personal achievement but also recognition of Africa’s natural beauty and the urgent need to protect its land.
She further revealed her intention to gift the winning photograph to the authorities of Mozambique and the Kingdom of Eswatini as a symbol of regional cooperation in biodiversity conservation.
The recognition comes as the UNCCD COP17 focuses on the theme “Beautiful Rangelands and Grasslands,” bringing together representatives from around the world to discuss efforts to combat desertification, land degradation and drought.
The winning photographs will be exhibited as part of the COP17 programme and will also form part of the Greenstorm Foundation’s digital collection for global awareness campaigns.
Nicolau is a Mozambican biologist specialising in the conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems. She works across several African countries at the intersection of science, conservation policy and ecosystem restoration.
The international recognition of her Mlilwane photograph provides another global platform for showcasing Eswatini’s wildlife and conservation landscape, with the country’s natural heritage featuring prominently in an award presented on an international stage in Mongolia.
#Eswatini #MlilwaneWildlifeSanctuary #DeniseNicolau #GreenstormPhotographyAwards #Mongolia #UNCCDCOP17 #WildlifeConservation #Biodiversity #Africa #Photography
