Her Excellency Marieme Bekaye, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Mauritania
Her Excellency Ambassador Josefa Sacko, African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture
Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations
Prof. Abdoulaye Dia, Executive Secretary, Pan African Agency for the Great Green Wall
Excellencies, Ministers, Partners
The United Nations Environment Programme stands side by side with countries as they implement the vision of the Great Green Wall. We are proud of the work that has already been done and are keen to see this scaled-up. The Report that has been presented today clearly depicts both, the progress has been made so far, and the journey that lies ahead.
The year 2021 marks the beginning of the Decade for Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030). UNEP and FAO are proud to be the co-facilitators of this Decade. By no means is this an exclusionary arrangement. This initiative is about crowding in as many people as possible to ensure that this great dream becomes a reality. The Great Green Wall can and must become a green growth corridor, one that provides investment, opportunity and improves the lives of people and countries alike.
When soil is barren and degraded, people struggle to earn a daily wage and to find opportunities. The Great Green Wall is much more than an act of planting trees, however vital such an effort is. This effort is about growing peace, sustainability, development, viability, jobs, opportunity and hope.
As countries strive to meet commitments made under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Great Green Wall initiative is an important opportunity for countries to stretch Nationally-Determined Contributions (NDCs) due in 2021, and finalize the post-2020 Biodiversity Framework on which work is currently underway.
Members of the UN system, along with partners such as the African Development Bank, The World Bank, as well as the Global Environment Fund and the Green Climate Fund remain committed to five guiding principles as we engage in the region – to put people first and to be of service to the region; to ensure country ownership and empowerment; to make this a programme priority; to work together, not in competition; and to understand the imperatives of urgent action so that we can deliver on the vision of the Great Green Wall.
We stand as one, to deliver in support of Africa. Excellencies, you have my commitment that UNEP will do everything possible to support the pan-African initiative of the Great Green Wall.
Thank you.
Executive Director
