PRESIDENT WADE CHAIRS NEPAD DONOR ROUND TABLE ON THE GREAT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 000217 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/W, AF/EPS, EB/IFD/ODF ADDIS ALSO FOR U.S. MISSION TO THE AFRICAN UNION SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EFIN ECON PGOV SG SUBJECT: PRESIDENT WADE CHAIRS NEPAD DONOR ROUND TABLE ON THE GREAT GREEN WALL DAKAR 00000217 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. SUMMARY: A donor round table was held in Saly Portugal, Senegal on February 12 - 13, 2008 to discuss the implementation of a $10.5 billion "Great Green Wall" that aims to develop a green belt from Dakar to Djibouti. President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal, as chairman of NEPAD's environmental commission hosted the meeting of ministers and donors. As chair of the donor's working group for the environment in Senegal, the Director of USAID represented the donors. The purpose of the round table was to identify the location of the Great Green Wall, create an institutional mechanism to monitor progress, and to solicit donor support. No solid proposals were put forward for new funding, nor was there clarity in the concept, so donor pledges were noncommittal or limited to current commitments. END SUMMARY. BUILDING THE GREAT GREEN WALL -------------- ¶2. The concept for a green wall across Africa to combat desertification dates back to the early 1970s. Efforts were made unsuccessfully in Algeria in 1971 and again in 1978 for northern African countries. The idea was resurrected in July, 2005 by President Obasanjo of Nigeria during the Fifth Ordinary Summit of the African Union. The idea was supported by the African Heads of State and a consultative process was launched to implement the program. President Wade of Senegal is a strong supporter of this initiative in his role as chairman of the NEPAD Environmental Commission. ¶3. An analytical, conceptual study on the Great Green Wall was conducted in May 2006 at the request of the Community of Sahel - Saharan States (CEN-SAD). The conclusion of this document clearly stated that the concept of a continuous band of trees 5 to 10 kilometers across the continent was "not realistic, financially expensive, ecologically inefficient and unsustainable." Rather, the study urged that the Great Green Wall concept be conceived as collection of sylvo-pastoral management and development activities that includes protection as well as production activities to improve livelihoods of rural populations and assure sustainability of investments. A WEAK FOUNDATION -------------- ¶4. In stark contrast to the CEN-SAD concept paper, the concept note distributed at the round table was for a 15 kilometer wide, multi-species green belt expanding 7,000 kilometers from Dakar to Djibouti for a cost of $10.5 billion. Senegal also included a sub-component on retention ponds, another priority of the Wade administration. The concept note reads more like Senegal plus other countries, rather than a continental effort through NEPAD. The existence of two concept papers, each with different recommendations strengthens this conception. Several participants voiced their concern over this issue. ¶4. The round table had poor attendance from ministers representing other Sahelian countries. The Minister for Environment from Egypt was one however, that President Wade acknowledged, who indicated they had long experience in combating desertification and who offered their expertise to the effort. Representatives from regional programs dealing directly with desertification such as ICRISAT and CILSS were not included or part of the debate. Jacques Diouf, Director General of FAO, attended the meeting and pointed out that the big issue is not planting trees, but maintaining any planting after they're in the ground. ¶5. In spite of these shortcomings, there are some signs that more sound reasoning will prevail. President Wade recognized that planting trees at $1 per tree would be prohibitive and is looking for innovative ways to involve communities and the private sector. The recommendations adopted by the meeting include taking into account biodiversity conservation and the full engagement of communities. CALL TO DONORS -------------- ¶5. Though not quite a pledging conference, President Wade pressed donors to outline their commitment to this initiative. Donors were united in stating that while they salute the emphasis being placed on environmental concerns, a clear, realistic concept for the project needs to be developed that is supported by the concerned countries. The African Development Bank offered to be the lead donor in coordinating efforts for the Great Green Wall. Since there was no basis on which to make pledges, donor's presented their current environmental initiatives, or those in the pipeline, as their contribution towards the list of priorities. COMMENT -------------- DAKAR 00000217 002.2 OF 002 ¶6. As in the recent NEPAD infrastructure round table held in Senegal, President Wade made sure this NEPAD initiative implicated Senegal in many of its ambitious proposals. Instead of relying on high cost public works to solve the real problem of desertification, African countries should look to those countries such as Niger that have had success in greening vast arid areas. Empowering local communities, improving local land tenure rights, encouraging regeneration of vegetation, fire control and increasing incomes are all proven solutions to improving vegetation and forest cover in arid lands. SMITH