The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, on behalf of the Forestry Commission, has signed a $30million grant with the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for enhanced forest protection, forest restoration and reforestation.

This forms part of efforts by the government to achieve the biodiversity and climate objectives under the Resilient Ghana Package launched at COP28 in Dubai, last year.

On the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Week in New York, Samuel Abu Jinapor, the sector Minister, signed for Ghana while the UAE Minister for Climate Change and Environment, Dr. Amna Al Dahak Al Shamsi, signed a Letter of Intent to provide up to $30million to implement the biodiversity and climate objectives of the Resilient Ghana Package and REDD+ Strategies.

The funds would be used to support programmes ranging from targeted interventions within specific geographic landscapes in Ghana to wider ambitions for national-level efforts.

Speaking after the signing ceremony, Mr Jinapor reiterated Ghana’s commitment to developing strategies to restore habitats, protect endangered species, and promote resilient ecosystems.

He noted that though the challenges were daunting, through collaboration and a shared vision, Ghana could pave the way towards sustainable solutions that benefit not only the country but the entire global community.

The Minister expressed his deep appreciation to the UAE and all those who had been involved in the negotiations and discussions that led to the signing of the agreement. He said that Ghana would develop the necessary strategies to achieve the objectives of the Resilient Ghana Package.

For her part, Dr. Amna Al Dahak lauded Ghana for its leadership on forest and nature-based solutions to climate change.

Commenting on the partnership, she stated: “Our partnership with Ghana is a testament to the UAE’s focus on global biodiversity, climate and development goals. It underscores our commitment to the UAE Consensus which calls for the ending and reversal of deforestation by 2030 and highlights the importance of the protection and preservation of biodiversity.”

“Our investment in Ghana will not only bolster the country’s afforestation efforts, but will also create a broader positive impact on local communities. By backing a comprehensive set of initiatives aimed at forest protection and enhancement, we aim to strengthen local livelihoods and foster greater community engagement,” she added.

In 2022, at COP 27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, launched the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP) as a new political forum that brought together governments and partners to work together to implement solutions that reduced forest loss, increase restoration, and support sustainable development.

Subsequently, at COP 28 in Dubai, Ghana launched her Resilient Ghana Package for nature, climate and people, under the FCLP.

The Resilient Ghana package includes an integrated system-wide suite of interventions to help halt and reverse forest loss while delivering sustainable development and promoting inclusive rural transformation.

It is underpinned by three key pillars, namely nature-based industrialisation and rural development; future-fit green jobs and livelihoods; and scaling climate ambition. At the launch of the Package in Dubai, several countries pledged their support to the Resilient Ghana Package.

Through strategies such as the Resilient Ghana Package and REDD+ Programme, the Government seeks to scale up efforts to halt and reverse forest loss and forest degradation by 2030, in accordance with the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration of Forest Loss and Land Use.