THE EXECUTIVE 10/05/2022
Buhari Urges World Bank, AfDB On $19b One Planet Initiative
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB) and other partners to support the One Planet Summit initiative and activate the $19 billion pledge, which will be utilised for land restoration, tree planting, development of climate resilience infrastructure and investments in small and medium sized farms.
Buhari spoke in Abidjan, the Cote d’Ivoire capital yesterday, at a side event he convened at the ongoing United Nations (UN) Conference Of Parties (COP-15), in his capacity as the President of the Conference of Heads of State and Governments of the member states of the Pan African Great Green Wall Agency (PAGGW)
He underscored the importance of recharging Lake Chad, now down to 10 per cent of its water volume, as 11 Sahel African states discuss ways and means of accessing and utilising the cash for the activities of the PAGGW.
According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, Buhari said “the inter basin transfer of water from Central Africa to the lake Chad should be taken seriously,” urging the secretariat of the agency, funders and the soon-to-be appointed consultant to carry out the measure to restore the socio-economy of the more than 30 million people of the Lake Chad basin area.
“As it is at the present,” the President informed the meeting, “the drying up of the Lake Chad had destroyed fish farming, animal husbandry and crop agriculture leading to social and economic dislocation with serious consequences for peace in the basin area. This has led to migration to Europe by many, creating problems for you over there. These should engage your attention as a committee,” the President said.
At the select meeting, which included International/Development Partners, Buhari said the fund would also support small holder farmers, create institutional framework to enhance security, stability and governance, and capacity building.
“All of you may wish to know that, in December 2021, I was elected to lead and drive the Agenda of the PAGGW bloc for the next two years.
“This bloc, which includes Nigeria, Senegal, Niger, Sudan, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Mali, Eritrea, Djibouti, Burkina Faso and Chad is facing dire and present danger due to the devastating effect of desertification and drought which is impacting negatively on the security of our communities and the livelihood of our people. There is therefore an urgent need to confront these challenges associated with desert encroachment and drought,” he said.
