More than 2.5 billion US dollars (1.553 billion CFA francs) were mobilized for the Abidjan Initiative at the end of COP 15, which took place from 9 to 20 May 2022 on the banks of the Ebrié Lagoon.

The Abidjan Initiative, adopted by heads of state and government on 9 May, is a “model of a holistic approach for effective management of the devastating effects of desertification on our lands, our peoples and our future”, said Ivorian Prime Minister Patrick Achi.

Mr. Achi, who was speaking at the end of COP15, noted that this program, which is both strategic and national actions for Côte d'Ivoire and proposals for models to be amended and duplicated on the continent and in the world, aims to restore soils and forest cover.

This COP 15, he will say, is “the extension of a constant commitment” by Côte d'Ivoire for a decade to understand the challenges of its ecosystem and to seek effective and sustainable solutions to fight against the degradation of soils and its forest cover.

Thirty-eight draft decisions were submitted in plenary to this 15th United Nations Conference of Parties on Desertification (COP 15). At the same time, 170 elements relating to various themes, such as gender and drought, were examined.

“We will continue to support this initiative in terms of a monitoring system,” said the executive secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, Mr. Ibrahima Thiaw.

According to Mr. Thjaw, more than 7,000 participants were registered at this COP 15 with the presence of 196 countries and the European Union, and the distribution of 4,000 articles in 40 languages in 120 countries around the world.

COP15 is part of a severe warning issued by the United Nations. The Abidjan resolutions called Abidjan legacy program should make it possible to provide answers to land degradation due to climate change.

The Abidjan COP-15-INITIATIVE-ABIDJAN.pdf initiative