Addressing climate change and desertification in the Sahel region
In 2021, Gilles Amadou Ouedraogo assumed the role of Programme Management Officer for the Great Green Wall initiative at the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). He transitioned from a UN Volunteer assignment with the Sahel programme of the UN Development Programme (UNDP). His experience with UNDP prepared him well, enabling Gille to navigate challenges and embrace opportunities within the Great Green Wall initiative.
The Great Green Wall, an African-led initiative, aims to restore Africa's degraded landscapes and transform millions of lives in one of the world's most vulnerable regions, the Sahel. The initiative aligns perfectly with the broader sustainable development goals of the United Nations. It addresses 15 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including challenges such as climate change, desertification, drought, famine, conflict and migration.