Somalia commits $10 million to address climate change

The Federal Government has pledged USD $10 million to address the triple threat of desertification, climate change, and biodiversity that has resulted in hunger and human casualties in the Horn of Africa nation. President Mohamud announced the Great Green Wall Initiative (GGWI), saying it will be carried out in cooperation with the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

“Today we officially launch the Great Green Wall Initiative (GGWI) in Somalia and announce our financial commitment of 10 million dollars which will be part of our country’s allocation from the adaption fund in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development,” the president said. He continued by saying that the initiative marks a significant turning point in the Federal Government’s fight against climate change and environmental degradation.

“Somalia’s succession to the Great Green Wall Initiative is a significant milestone in our country’s commitment to addressing climate change and environmental degradation that has caused so much suffering to our people.”

Following its inception, Somalia becomes latest to join the GGWI, which already counts 36 nations from the Sahara, Sahel, Horn of Africa, and Southern Africa drylands.  The Global Greening of the World Initiative (GGWI) is anticipated to support President Mohamud’s ‘Regreening Somalia’ Initiative, which was launched in October of last year and aims to plant 10 million trees to improve biodiversity and climate resilience and help the nation fight of repeated cycles of devastating droughts. The ATMIS Police Commissioner, Hillary Sao Kanu, spoke on behalf of Ambassador Mohamed El-Amine Souef, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union  and Head of ATMIS, ,saying that the Mission would keep assisting the FGS in its efforts to regreen the nation. 

“At the mission level, ATMIS has resolved to integrate environmental issues in all its operations. The decision is in line with the commitment made by ATMIS and UNSOS

The African Union’s Pan-African flagship program is the GGWI. It was founded in 2007 and works to combat desertification, climate change, and biodiversity loss through a wide network of green initiatives spanning from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa.