A meeting focusing on the Great Green Wall Initiative of Africa is set to commence today in Addis Ababa, bringing together experts and partner organizations. The gathering will take place from May 13 to May 15, 2025.
According to information released by the African Union, a key focus of the meeting will be discussions surrounding the initiative's strategy and its implementation framework. Participants will also explore methods for aligning and integrating related international and regional programs with the Great Green Wall efforts.
Evaluations will be conducted on the progress made in restoring degraded natural ecosystems through the initiative, as well as assessing financial flows and resource mobilization activities. The continental plan aimed at fostering resilient green development and growth will also be on the agenda for deliberation.
It is anticipated that the meeting will review the performance of the initiative to date and define future priority areas.
The Great Green Wall Initiative of Africa is a monumental project designed to combat desertification by creating an 8,000-kilometer-long forest belt across the Sahel region. Launched in 2007 under the Gregorian calendar and standing as one of the African Union's flagship projects, its stated goals are to halt the expansion of the Sahara Desert and enhance the economies of the nations within the region.
The initiative receives financial backing from development partners, international institutions, and various countries contributing to its realization. Ethiopia stands as one of the founding African nations that signed the agreement and is actively engaged in reforestation efforts to cover degraded land as part of its commitment to the initiative, ENA learned.