Great Green Wall initiative targets Sahel ecosystem restoration

The Great Green Wall initiative, launched by the African Union in 2007, is an ambitious ecological project spanning approximately 8,000 kilometers across the Sahel region, from Senegal to Djibouti.

Rather than a continuous forest, the project focuses on restoring degraded ecosystems, including forests, grasslands, wetlands, and agricultural lands, tailored to local climatic conditions. The goal is to combat desertification, mitigate climate change, and improve food security for millions of people living in one of the world's most climate-vulnerable areas.

To date, approximately 30 million hectares of land have been restored. The initiative aims to restore 100 million hectares by 2030, remove 250 million tons of carbon emissions, and create 10 million green jobs, effectively linking environmental protection with regional economic recovery.