The African Development Bank says it is mobilising $6.5 billion in support of the Great Green Wall project, which involves large-scale efforts to stop the Sahara Desert from spreading further south over the next five years.

President of Africa’s multilateral development finance institution Akinwumi Adesina, announced this while addressing President Emmanuel Macron, His Royal Highness Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, President Ghazouani of Mauritania and many other world leaders at One Planet Summit’s Great Green Wall Investment Summit.

“The Great Green Wall is part of Africa’s environmental defense system — a shield against the onslaughts of desertification and degradation. The future of the Sahel region of Africa depends on the Great Green Wall, without it, in the face of climate change and desertification, the Sahel may disappear… By building the Great Green Wall, we will secure the Sahel, reduce climate change, reduce migration and improve the lives of people”, said African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina.

The African Development Bank also said it is launching $20 billion Desert-to-Power program to build the largest solar zone in the world in the Sahel which will provide electricity for 250 million people and help to protect the Great Green Wall. If there is no access to energy, the Great Green Wall will be no more than trees waiting to be turned into charcoal.