Jeff Bezos, American billionaire and founder of Amazon, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership role in restoring degraded lands in Nigeria.
According to Garba Shehu, Presidential spokesman, Bezos described Buhari’s commitment to restore four million hectares as “exemplary”.
The statement said Nigeria is ready to assume leadership of regional organisation.
Bezos joined Buhari, French President Emmanuel Macron, Prince Charles and the Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani at a COP 26 sideline event entitled, “Accelerating land restoration in Africa, the case of the Great Green Wall (GGW) initiative.”
The event was co-hosted by Macron, his Mauritanian counterpart and the Prince of Wales.
Extolling Buhari, the Amazon founder said, ‘‘We are fortunate to have President Buhari of Nigeria with us today.
‘‘Nigeria plays a critical role in the restoration movement and has pledged to restore 4 million hectares of degraded lands.
‘‘This kind of ambition coming from Africa’s largest economy underscores just how vital this issue is.’’
The Bezos Earth Fund will expend 10 billion dollars to fight climate change.
Addressing, the gathering, Buhari appealed to fellow leaders to continue to make concerted efforts at land restoration.
Buhari said, ‘‘I am optimistic that Africa’s ambition of restoring over 100million hectares of degraded landscape for productive agriculture is achievable.
“Together we commit to the transformative process of restoring the African degraded landscape and ultimately the continent’s environment.”
