Stakeholders in the environment and forestry sector were on Monday December 15th 2008 briefed on The Green Wall for Sahara. The one-day forum, held at the conference hall of the Department of State for Fisheries and Water Resources in Banjul, was jointly organised by the Department of State for Forestry in collaboration with the AU mission to The Gambia.

The Green Wall for Sahara is an AU initiative where countries of the Sahel and Sahara plant for the greening of the dry areas (desert) through forestation.

The afforestation initiative (Great Green Wall for Sahara) has been a welcomed programme in most West African countries for the past two years.

In her welcoming remarks, Mrs. Nancy Nyang, acting permanent secretary for Forestry and Environment, said that land degradation and desertification are causing a serious threat to the socio-economic development of the continent particularly to the arid and semiarid zones of Africa.

She stressed that for us to attain the MDG’s, it’s imperative that the issue be addressed in a more holistic manner based on the input of all stakeholders.

She said that the government has demonstrated her committed to sustainable environmental development through the ratification of environmental conventions and strengthening national institutions charged with the responsibility of managing natural resources.

According to her, the idea of tree planting is nothing new in The Gambia. She reassured the AU delegation of the country’s fullest co-operation.

Mrs. Fatoumata Jallow Ndoye, an AU official, deliberated on the activities of the African Union with regard to agriculture and the rural economy as well as the structures and agencies of the continental body.