FAO leads national consultations in Algeria, Tunisia and Lebanon for the ReInvest NENA programme
Countries across the Near East and North Africa face mounting pressures from land degradation, water scarcity, climate change and rising food insecurity. In response, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is intensifying efforts to mobilize investment and strengthen country-driven action for ecosystem restoration. Within this context, FAO has launched a series of national consultations to introduce and refine a new regional programme proposal entitled “ReInvest NENA – Restoration and Investment for Ecosystems, Sustainability and Transformation in the Near East and North Africa.” The consultations were recently held in virtual format with Tunisia, Algeria and Lebanon.
Since 2024, under the umbrella of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030), FAO’s Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa has led a coordinated regional effort to accelerate restoration finance and implementation. This process resulted in the development of a regional investment framework and a white paper, launched during the 27th session of the Near East Forestry and Range Commission (NEFRC) in Saudi Arabia.
Developed in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), the League of Arab States (LAS) and the Global Mechanism of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the white paper outlines concrete pathways to unlock restoration finance. It highlights how restoration can deliver food security gains, expand rural employment and enhance ecosystem health and productivity.
The framework has since been presented at major regional and global platforms, including the 36th Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for the Environment (CAMRE), the 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16), and the Third Arab Land Conference. Algeria, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen endorsed the framework and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing restoration finance and project development.
Building on this momentum, FAO developed the ReInvest NENA programme to position ecosystem restoration as a strategic development opportunity rather than a stand-alone environmental intervention. The programme seeks to attract multilateral and national investment, strengthen cross-sectoral engagement and demonstrate that restoring land and ecosystems generates long-term value for agriculture, rural development, climate resilience and economic growth.
This approach is particularly critical in a region that requires an estimated USD 38 billion annually to meet climate and environmental targets, yet receives only USD 2.6 billion in official development assistance toward the Rio Conventions—approximately seven percent of identified needs. With more than 60 million people food insecure in the Arab States in 2023, the programme places food security at the centre of the restoration investment narrative. By aligning restoration with agricultural and rural development priorities and applying Sustainable Return on Investment (SROI) metrics, ReInvest NENA aims to reposition restoration as a high-value development investment.
To ensure strong alignment with national priorities, FAO initiated national consultations in November 2025. Algeria and Tunisia were the first to convene multi-stakeholder dialogues, bringing together representatives from ministries, national institutions, development partners, donors and the private sector. Lebanon subsequently joined the process.
Each consultation provided a platform to examine how the ReInvest NENA proposal aligns with national climate commitments, biodiversity strategies, land degradation neutrality targets and agricultural and rural development plans. Discussions identified potential ecosystems and sites for piloting or scaling restoration interventions. Stakeholders also explored opportunities for national co-financing, private sector engagement and access to international financing mechanisms, including the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Green Climate Fund (GCF) and international financial institutions.
Insights from these consultations will inform the next phase of programme development, ensuring strong national ownership, realistic financing modalities, practical implementation pathways and enhanced institutional coordination. The outcomes will feed into an upcoming regional consultation, where participating countries and partners will validate priorities and reinforce the regional investment case for ecosystem restoration.
The consultations reflect a growing regional consensus: ecosystem restoration is not only an environmental imperative, but a foundation for resilient livelihoods, productive landscapes and long-term economic stability. Through ReInvest NENA, FAO and its partners aim to unlock regenerative, sustainable investments that benefit communities and ecosystems across the Near East and North Africa for generations to come.