By Adeyemi Adekunle
In a fervent plea for global action, six African leaders have called on the United Nations to prioritize a decade of tree planting as a key strategy to combat climate change.
The appeal, encapsulated in the “Brazzaville Declaration,” was issued at the conclusion of a significant summit held in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo.
The declaration urged the UN to endorse a resolution at the upcoming 79th General Assembly in New York this September. This endorsement would formalize the plan to launch an “African and global decade of afforestation and reforestation,” a vision first introduced by Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso at COP27 in Egypt in 2023.
President Sassou Nguesso, who hosted the summit, was joined by cohort of leaders including Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea-Bissau, Faustin Archange Touadera of the Central African Republic, Brice Oligui Nguema of Gabon, and Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia.
The gathering also featured experts, representatives of indigenous populations, and technical and financial partners, all uniting to address the escalating climate crisis.
When speaking, Sassou Nguesso highlighted the summit’s critical importance: “This conference seems to be the beginning of a process of research and a life-saving response. The situation we already know—climate change—remains worrying. The need for action is clear. It’s all about the will to act and putting in the necessary effort.”
The Brazzaville Declaration underscored the “crucial importance for the planet” of the afforestation and reforestation initiative. It also proposed that the UN hold an international conference on reforestation biennially, rotating among continents to ensure global participation and shared responsibility.
Rosalie Matondo, Congo’s minister for forest economy, read the declaration aloud, emphasizing the leaders’ collective resolve to reverse deforestation and mitigate the impacts of climate change. The declaration was met with enthusiastic support from summit attendees, reflecting a unified commitment to environmental restoration.
Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairman of the African Union Commission, echoed this sentiment: “The great challenge today is not only to stop the disappearance of forests but also to restore those that have disappeared and then create new ones.” His statement highlighted the dual necessity of preservation and proactive environmental rehabilitation.
As the summit concluded, the leaders’ calls for action resonated beyond the halls of Brazzaville, carrying a message of hope and urgency to the international community. Their collective voice aimed to galvanize global efforts to address one of the most pressing issues of our time—climate change—through the simple yet profound act of planting trees.
