Regional Policy Coherence for The Great Green Wall Initiative: Exploring Alignment of the AU Great Green Wall Initiative Strategy with the AU Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and the AU Green Recovery Action Plan

African Union. 2025.Regional Policy Coherence for The Great Green Wall Initiative: Exploring Alignment of the AU Great Green Wall Initiative Strategy with the AU Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and the AU Green Recovery Action Plan. AICCRA Brief. Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA)

This policy brief explores how enhanced policy coherence among three flagship African Union strategies - the Great Green Wall Initiative (GGWI) Strategy and Ten-Year Implementation Framework (2024–2034), the Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2023–2030), and the Green Recovery Action Plan (2021–2027) - can significantly advance biodiversity conservation, land restoration, and climate resilience across Africa. It highlights key areas of alignment, including the promotion of nature-based solutions, sustainable land and water management, and integrated ecosystem restoration. Central to the GGWI Strategy is the scaling up of nature-based practices that create resilient value chains supporting biodiversity and local livelihoods. The brief also underscores the importance of equity and gender-transformative approaches, the integration of Indigenous knowledge systems, and inclusive benefit-sharing mechanisms to ensure socially just and effective conservation outcomes. Furthermore, the brief emphasises strengthening multisectoral engagement and aligning national and regional strategies - including National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans - to foster coordinated implementation. Mobilising public and private investment and establishing strategic partnerships with global biodiversity and climate networks are also identified as critical enablers. By embedding biodiversity as a core criterion for country participation and promoting cross-sectoral collaboration, the GGWI and aligned strategies can accelerate progress toward the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the Sustainable Development Goals, and broader climate and development goals.