Environmental Degradation: Donor Countries Support Africa With $4.43bn

Thirty donor countries
have indicated willingness to support Global Environment Facility (GEF) with 4.43 billion dollars for the prevention of degradation of the environment in developing countries.
This is contained in a statement issued last Thursday in Abuja by African Development Bank (AfDB).
The statement said that AfDB, a key player in fostering sustainable development in Africa, was one of the implementing agencies of the GEF.
It said that the funding would support projects aimed at tackling a broad range of threats to the environment in more than 140 countries, including 54 nations in Africa.
It listed climate change, deforestation, land degradation, extinction of species, toxic chemicals and waste as well as threats to oceans and freshwater resources as issues threatening global environment.
The bank disclosed that GEF was the main global mechanism to support developing countries to take action in fulfilling their commitments under the world’s major multilateral environmental agreements.
“With the African continent bound to register the most significant economic growth over the decades to come, the African Development Bank will need to be at the forefront to ensure that economic growth is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
“The GEF, having the same vision of sustainable development as the AfDB, will be a key ally in this endeavour,” the statement said.
According to the statement, the partnership between the GEF and the AfDB has been growing substantially to achieve environmentally smart and transformational change in Africa since 2007.
“As at April 2014, the overall portfolio of projects managed by the AfDB amounted to 187 million dollars allocated to 26 projects and programmes across the continent,” it said.