Somalia has announced its commitment of $10 million to combat the destructive effects of desertification and biodiversity loss in the country. The President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, joined the Great Green Wall Initiative (GGWI) in the capital city of Mogadishu in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development. The GGWI is a renowned programme led by the African Union, established in 2007 to address desertification, climate change, and biodiversity loss across the Sahel to the Horn of Africa.
President Hassan expressed Somalia’s dedication to addressing climate change and environmental degradation, recognizing the suffering it has caused the nation’s people.
The launch was attended by key officials from the Federal Government of Somalia, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, the United Nations, and international partners.
With Somalia’s inclusion, the GGWI now encompasses 36 member states from the Sahara, Sahel, Horn of Africa, and Southern Africa drylands. This initiative aligns with President Hassan Shiekh Mohamud’s Green Somalia campaign, introduced last year, which aims to plant 10 million trees to bolster biodiversity, enhance climate resilience, and combat the recurring devastating droughts in the country.
Somalia’s Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Khadija Al-Makhzoumi, welcomed the initiative, highlighting its potential to address the country’s deforestation and climate-related challenges. Despite contributing only 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Somalia is increasingly vulnerable to climate shocks. The GGWI aims to mitigate these challenges and restore degraded land, ultimately fostering a greener and more sustainable future.
Ambassador Mohamed El-Amine Souef, speaking on behalf of the African Union, expressed support for Somalia’s efforts, stating that the Mission would continue to aid the Federal Government of Somalia in its regreening endeavours. Additionally, the African Union hopes that the Great Green Wall Initiative will restore a total of 910 million hectares of degraded land by 2063, with a vision of restoring 100 million hectares by 2030, sequestering 250 million tonnes of carbon, and generating 10 million green jobs in the Sahel region and drylands of Africa.