African partners are seeking to accelerate the Great Green Wall through stronger continental cooperation, increased investment and closer integration of restoration efforts.
The initiative aims to restore degraded land across the Sahel while improving food security, creating jobs and strengthening communities’ resilience to climate change. It stretches across several African countries facing desertification, drought and land degradation.
Discussions linked to UNCCD COP17 are expected to focus on mobilising finance and ensuring that restoration projects deliver practical benefits for local communities. Supporters say the Great Green Wall must move beyond isolated projects and become a coordinated continental programme.
Africa loses millions of hectares of productive land each year because of deforestation, unsustainable farming, overgrazing and climate-related pressures. The resulting decline in soil quality affects agricultural production and increases competition over land and water.
The Great Green Wall seeks to address these challenges through tree planting, sustainable agriculture, water management and land restoration. Its wider goals include supporting livelihoods, reducing poverty and limiting forced migration.
African governments and development partners are calling for stronger coordination among national agencies, regional bodies, financial institutions and local organisations. Sharing expertise and data could help countries identify successful approaches and avoid duplication.
Investment remains central to the initiative’s success. Restoration projects require long-term funding, technical support and reliable monitoring. Public finance alone is unlikely to meet the scale of the challenge, making private investment and climate finance increasingly important.
Experts also stress that local communities must lead restoration efforts. Projects are more likely to succeed when they respect local knowledge, secure land rights and provide communities with direct economic benefits.
The Great Green Wall has faced criticism over slow progress and uneven implementation. Supporters argue that stronger continental integration can improve accountability, attract funding and turn the initiative into a more effective response to land degradation.
As African partners push for renewed momentum at COP17, the Great Green Wall is being presented not only as an environmental project, but as a development strategy. Its success could help protect ecosystems while creating a more secure and resilient future for millions of people.
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