MESSAGE FROM HIS EXCELLENCE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA, JOÃO MANUEL GONÇALVES LOURENÇO, AT THE OPENING SESSION OF THE HIGH-LEVEL PARTY EVENT: SOUTHERN AFRICA GREAT GREEN WALL “SCALING UP AN AFRICAN AMBITION TO SOLVE THE WORLD’S MOST PRESSING ISSUES”

Date: Saturday, 2 December 2023

Time: 11:45–13:15 (90 minutes)

Meeting room: MR11

– HIS EXCELENCY, MR. EMMERSON MNANGAGWA; PRESIDENT OF REUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE;

–  HIS EXCELENCY, MR. RUSSEL DLAMINI, PRIME MINISTER OF KINGDOM OF ESWATINI;

– HIS EXCELENCY, MR. ELIAS MAGOSI, SADC EXECUTIVE SECRETARY;

– HIS EXCELENCY MR. IBRAHIM THIAW, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE UNCCD

– EXCELLENCES,

– DISTINGUISHED GUESTS;

– LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

IT IS WITH IMMENSE HONOR THAT, AS CHAIR OF SADC, I OPEN THIS HIGH-LEVEL PARTY EVENT ON SOUTHERN AFRICA GREAT GREEN WALL INITIATIVE, UNDER THE THEME “SCALING UP AN AFRICAN AMBITION TO SOLVE THE WORLD’S MOST PRESSING ISSUES”

EXCELLENCES,

A NEW CYCLE HAS OPENED UP FOR THE WORLD COMMUNITY WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs), FOR THE PERIOD 2015-2030. THE EXPERIENCE ACCUMULATED BY EVERYONE, WITH THE FIRST CYCLE WILL GUIDE EVERYONE TO FULFILL AND SIGNIFICANTLY ACHIEVE THE CHALLENGE THEY SET FORTH.

WE ARE ALL GATHERING HERE TODAY TO BUILD MOMENTUM AND TO COORDINATE ACTION AROUND A COMMON GOAL.

OUR REGION HAS GREAT POTENTIAL TO BUILD A SUSTAINABLE AND PROSPEROUS FUTURE.

WE HAVE A GROWING YOUNG POPULATION, AND TOGETHER WE CAN ENSURE THAT THEY ARE EDUCATED, TRAINED AND PREPARED TO FACE THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS.

UNDER THE CHAIRSHIP OF ANGOLA, IN THE NEXT YEAR THE SADC REGION WILL FOCUS ON HUMAN AND FINANCIAL CAPITAL AS A CATALYST FOR INDUSTRIALIZATION, GUIDED BY THE THEME; “HUMAN AND FINANCIAL CAPITAL: THE KEY DRIVERS FOR SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRIALIZATION IN THE SADC REGION”.

WITH THE SADC GGWI GAINING MOMENTUM, THERE IS GREAT POTENTIAL TO ATTRACT INVESTMENTS INTO THE HUMAN AND FINANCIAL CAPITAL AND TO GIVE A BOOST FOR SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRIALIZATION IN THE REGION.

THE SADC GGWI WAS ENDORSED BY THE SADC MINISTERS OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES MEETING IN 2015 –PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN DEVELOPING THE SADC GGWI IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY AND COUNTRIES ARE FINALIZING THEIR NATIONAL ACTION PLANS – NOW IT’S TIME THAT WE START SEEING IMPLEMENTATION ON THE GROUND.

TO THE FELLOW SADC COUNTRIES HERE: WE NEED A STRONG POLITICAL COMMITMENT TO ENHANCE REGIONAL INTEGRATION AND COOPERATION ACROSS DIFFERENT SECTORS.

THE SADC GGWI PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING US ALL TOGETHER AROUND ONE FLAGSHIP UMBRELLA INITIATIVE THAT WILL HELP US DELIVER ON OUR NATIONAL, REGIONAL, CONTINENTAL AND EVEN GLOBAL COMMITMENTS AND AGENDAS.

THE INITIATIVE OFFERS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING TOGETHER ONGOING RESTORATION INITIATIVES, CLIMATE PROOF DEVELOPMENT AND NEW MULTI-SECTOR INTEGRATED PROGRAMMES UNDER ONE FLAGSHIP UMBRELLA ALIGNED WITH THE 6 INVESTMENT PILLARS: WATER FOR ALL; ACCESS TO RENEWABLE ENERGY; PRODUCTIVE AND RESILIENT ECOSYSTEMS; CLIMATE RESILIENT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE; STRENGTHENED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND RESILIENT FOOD SYSTEMS AND TRANSFORMATIVE ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.

WHILE THE SADC GREAT GREEN WALL INITIATIVE CAN BRING MANY BENEFITS TO OUR REGION, WE CANNOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE IMPORTANCE OF CONDUCTING AN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE ECONOMIC LOSSES, THE COST OF INACTION AND THE BENEFITS OF IMPLEMENTING THE GGWI FROM SADC.

TO THE FINANCING PARTNERS IN THE ROOM: WE NEED SEED FUNDING TO TRIGGER CONCRETE ACTION ON THE GROUND BEFORE THE NEXT HEADS OF STATE SUMMIT, SEED FUNDING TO CROWD IN FURTHER INVESTMENTS.

ACCORDING TO THE LANDSCAPE OF CLIMATE FINANCE IN AFRICA STUDY, THE CLIMATE POLICY INITIATIVE ESTIMATES THAT THE CONTINENT NEEDS USD 277 BILLION ANNUALLY TO IMPLEMENT ITS NDCS AND MEET 2030 CLIMATE GOALS.

WHILE INVESTMENT GAPS VARY BETWEEN COUNTRIES, THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN REGION BEARS THE LARGEST FINANCING GAP IN ABSOLUTE TERMS.

ACCORDING TO THE AFRICAN ECONOMIC OUTLOOK 2023, ANGOLA ALONE HAS CLIMATE FINANCE NEEDS OF $44.1 BILLION FOR 2021–2025 TO SPUR ITS GREEN GROWTH AGENDA.

THEREFORE, THE INDICATIVE 27 BILLION USD FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SADC GGWI IS NOWHERE NEAR TO THE FINANCING NEEDS IN THE REGION – WE NEED TO TOP UP OUR GAME.

THE SADC GGWI HAS GREAT POTENTIAL TO BRING THE REGION TOGETHER – AND TO ATTRACT THE INVESTMENTS WE NEED TO CREATE TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE – LET US NOT WASTE THIS OPPORTUNITY.

LET US MAKE SURE THAT THE INDICATIVE 27 BILLION USD FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SADC GGWI IS JUST THE BEGINNING, THE SEED FUNDING TO HELP US REACH A GREATER GOAL.

EXCELLENCES,

DISTINGUISHED GUESTS;

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

THE REGION HAS GREAT POTENTIAL TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL INITIATIVE THAT INSPIRES ACTION ON THE GROUND.

BRINGING EXISTING EFFORTS ACROSS SECTORS UNDER ONE UMBRELLA INITIATIVE WILL HELP US BUILD SCALE AND TO DRAW IN FURTHER INVESTMENTS.

WE NEED TO WORK HARD ON RESOURCE MOBILIZATION – COUNTRIES NEED SUPPORT IN BUILDING THEIR CAPACITIES IN:

1. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND FEASIBILITY STUDIES, AND

2. IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES.

THE SADC LEADERS ARE READY TO SPEARHEAD THE INITIATIVE AND TO ACHIEVE ITS AMBITIOUS GOAL OF MOBILIZING AN INDICATIVE 27 BILLION USD FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SADC GGWI.

OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS SHOULD HELP US ACHIEVE A GREEN AND RESILIENT FUTURE FOR THE SADC REGION – A FUTURE THAT IS SHAPED BY PRODUCTIVE LANDSCAPES, SOCIALLY INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

I FINISH MY INTERVENTION BY ENCOURAGING ALL SADC MEMBER STATES TO MOVE FROM AMBITIONS TO ACTIONS IN ORDER TO ACCELERATE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GREAT GREEN WALL INITIATIVE IN OUR REGION.

WITH THESE WORDS, I DECLARE THIS EVENT OPEN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!