Africa Climate Week 2021: Safeguarding wetlands as risk-based approach
Channel: Wetlands Int'l
Date: 29/09/2021

Wetlands are the most rapidly declining ecosystems in the world. Urgent action is needed to head off the risks to the people in the concerned countries. Blue Lifelines in a Secure Sahel is a transformative initiative aimed at revival of 20 million hectares of wetland systems by 2030, reducing conditions for conflict and migration, and benefitting the livelihoods of over 10 million people in the Sahel and Horn of Africa.

This event on 26 September 2021, co-organised by Wetlands International, International Alert, CARE, and International Water Management Institute (IWMI) for Africa Climate Week, engaged panelists from different levels in discussing how restoring wetlands contribute to making Sahelian communities more secure and resilient to climate change and conflict. Panelists discussed what is already happening, what obstacles they face and what opportunities they see by adding value to existing climate change adaptation, land degradation and wider development initiatives across the region.

Panelists included George Sanga Kavulunze of the Global Water Partnership Eastern Africa (GWPEA), Karounga Keïta of Wetlands International (WI) Sahel Office, and Paul Elvis Tangem of the Great Green Wall Initiative (GGWI), and the session was moderated by Olufunke Cofie, Regional Representative West Africa – International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and Julie Mulonga, Director of Wetlands International Eastern Africa.