The Great Green Wall initiative is hosting an international forum to build new partnerships and accelerate progress in tackling one of this century's defining development challenges - land degradation, desertification and drought.

The forum will also take stock of the achievements and future challenges of the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative.

The two-day event, organized by the Global Mechanism of the UNCCD (GM) and FAO under the auspices of the African Union Commission (AUC), is taking place on 16-17 December at FAO Headquarters in Rome.

Since its adoption in 2007 by African Heads of State and Government, the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative has become Africa's flagship initiative in tackling the detrimental social, economic and environmental impacts of land degradation, desertification, drought and climate change. [more]