Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Bernice Swarts, has called on the Southern African Development Community (SADC), development partners and financial institutions to step up efforts to secure billions in funding for the Southern Africa Great Green Wall Initiative (SADC GGWI).
The initiative aims to restore degraded land, boost climate resilience, protect biodiversity and improve livelihoods across the region.
According to Swarts, about $27 billion is needed by 2030 to implement the initiative, highlighting the region’s vulnerability to environmental degradation.
"As Interim SADC Chair, South Africa calls on all stakeholders present here today to use this platform to deepen collaboration, accelerate pipeline development, and unlock innovative financing solutions that match the scale of our shared ambition,” the Deputy Minister said on Tuesday.
She was speaking at the SADC GGWI Regional Capacity Building Workshop in Johannesburg, attended by governments, development partners, financial institutions and the private sector.
The workshop focused on moving from policy commitments to investment-ready programmes that can restore land, strengthen resilience and create sustainable economic opportunities.
Swarts stressed the need for investment-ready, gender-responsive nature-based solutions to tackle land degradation, biodiversity loss and climate risks.
“We need to move from commitment to capital, from plans to projects, and from ambition to implementation,” she said.
She also called for stronger support for the Partnership for Project Preparation, led by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification Global Mechanism, to help turn plans into bankable projects and attract private sector funding.
Swarts added that regional initiatives, such as those in the Zambezi Watercourse, could help draw large-scale climate and development financing. -SAnews.gov.za
