18 December 2013: The Global Mechanism (GM) of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has launched the Local Environmental Coalition for a Green Union (FLEUVE), an initiative to enhance support for community-level sustainable development in ten African countries. The EU is funding the initiative.

FLEUVE aims to strengthen civil society organizations, the private sector and local authorities to plan and finance sustainable development at the local level through a landscape approach. The initiative also seeks to promote local communities as decision-makers for sustainable natural resource management.

FLEUVE has three objectives: to reinforce local authorities and stakeholders in integrated sustainable land management; to enhance the capacity of local authorities and stakeholders to access funding and implement resource mobilization strategies; and to provide a framework to promote decentralized North-South and South-South cooperation.

The initiative was launched at an international partnership forum for the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative (GGWSSI). The GM and Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), under the auspices of the African Union Commission (AUC), organized the forum, which took place from 16-17 December 2013, in Rome, Italy, to build partnerships and advance solutions for land degradation, desertification, and drought (DLDD).

The forum aimed to promote a common vision and participation of partners in the implementation of the GGWSSI by: sharing its results and development prospects; identifying innovative partnerships; and defining coordination and exchange mechanisms among multiple financial and technical partners. [UNCCD Press Release on FLEUVE] [UNCCD Press Release on Outreach and GGWSI International Forum] [UNCCD Press Release on Implementation and GGWSI International Forum]