By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Amina Mohammed has explained the economic benefits of the Great Green Wall (GGW) to the Sahel region, following the $14 billion donation of President Emmanuel Macron of France.
NatureNews recalls that last month, Macron announced the donation at the just concluded One Planet Summit for Biodiversity co-organized by France, the United Nations and World Bank.
The funding will fast track efforts to restore degrading land, save biological diversity as well as create green jobs and build resilience of the Sahelian people, he said.
The UN Deputy Secretary-General in a meeting with Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs minister, Geoffrey Onyeama on Tuesday in Abuja, explained that there are a lot of opportunities for the GGW in the Sahel.
She said, “The Lake Chad Basement stabilization programme of the UNDP has been supportive and that’s very important us to see the opportunities of the GGW.
“The Great Green Wall was not set up to completely stop the desert but to create an economic corridor that will reclaim the desert, provide jobs, give sustainable economy.
“We look at economic trees and what you can do with them.
“The president of France during the One Planet Summit donated 14 billion dollars to promote the planet to bring peace and posterity to the nation.
“It will also engage younger generations and women.
Responding to banditry attacks in the Northern region of Nigeria, Mohammed stated that the UN has over the years been working with the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) and the regional governments to strategies measures to fight terrorism.
Mohammed, who was also a former minister of environment, noted that the UN has also supported to fight insecurity in Nigeria by engaging in humanitarian support, adding that security counsel is usually given to security operatives.
She added that the organisation researches on the root causes of most of these security issues, proffering better measures to curb insurgency.
Speaking on the plans for people affected by these attacks, Mohammed noted that the UN strategises ways to reintegrate indigenes back to their community after restoring peace.
The Deputy Secretary-General who also explained the position of implementing the SDGs in Nigeria, said that the COVID-19 pandemic affected most of the activities last year but distributing stimulus packages is where the real task begins.
However, she noted that all efforts are being put in place to achieve the goals by 2030.