President Muhammadu Buhari has assumed the presidency of Africa’s Pan African Great Green Wall (PAGGW), according to Chief Sharon Ikeazor, Minister of State for Environment, on Sunday in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by Mr Sagir el Mohammed, Director, Press of the Ministry, Nigeria took over at the end of the 4th Ordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of PAGGW, which took place on December 2 in Abuja.
“At the end of the 4th Ordinary Session of the CHSG, Nigeria took over the Presidency of the PAGGW,” the minister said.
“As a result, Nigeria and President Buhari will be the president of the Great Green Wall Initiative in Africa for the next two years.”
“This means that Nigeria will work tirelessly during the period to address the problems of land degradation, food security, desertification, climate change, depletion of forest ecosystems, and biodiversity in Africa, among others. ”
“With Mr. President’s unparalleled commitment to addressing climate change and desertification issues, coupled with the immense respect he commands within the international community, a lot would be accomplished during his tenure,” she said.
Ikeazor recalled the president’s commitment at the Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November in Glasgow, Scotland.
She stated that the president expressed optimism about Africa’s goal of restoring over 100 million hectares of degraded landscape for productive agriculture.
“It is instructive to note that the President stated in his acceptance speech: “All things being equal, we shall strengthen our efforts in the mobilization of resources for the accelerated completion of the Decennial Priority Investment Plan (DPIP) 2021-2030 and its concrete implementation action.”
“The fulfillment of financial pledges made as a result of the “One Planet Summit” held on January 11th, 2021 in Paris, France, would be given top priority.”
“I want to assure you that the restoration of Africa’s degraded ecosystems and the resilience of our people to the effects of climate change will be strengthened.”