VZCZCXRO4754
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHDK #0217/01 0531252
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221252Z FEB 08 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0088
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC

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