For several decades, the Sahelo-Saharan countries have been facing continuing rainfall shortages which, coupled with anthropogenic factors, has severely disrupted the great ecological balances, installing that part of Africa in an almost inexorable process of desertification. At present, more than 2/3 of the African continent lands are desert or strongly degraded zones. It results a degradation of natural resources and soils and a fall in agricultural productions and a situation of food insecurity .
To  invert the tendency, initiatives often on a sector-based approach as the forestation have been tempted in many countries by national institutions , sub-regional and international organizations. However, in spite of the huge granted efforts here and there, it’s evident that the expected impacts on the economic, social and environmental conditions of the populations remain short of objectives.
One of the more accurate lessons to be pulled of these experiences is that no country, taken individually, does not have sufficient technical, human and financial means to face up to these major constraints. Accordingly, there is an urgent necessity of an united, integrated and coordinated approach.
It is in this context, that His Excellency Olusegun OBASANJO, Former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, during the 7th Session of the summit of Leaders and Heads of State of Censad, held from 1st to 2nd June 2005 in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), suggested the construction of a green barrier from Dakar to Djibouti, to protect against the advancement of Sahara desert. This idea favorably welcomed, was conceptualized by His Excellence Maitre Abdoulaye Wade, President of Republic of Senegal through the naming of « Great Green Wall or Grande Muraille Verte”.
The particular feature of this « Great Green Wall » initiative is, while establishing and   consolidating a defense line through reforestation and development activities, to contribute efficiently to the integrated development of the rural area crossed by the line and to enterprise actions for fighting against poverty within the framework of sustainable development. However, variations in the biophysical, pedological and cultural contexts impose to take account of local specificities.
At the 8th common session of the Conference of the Heads of State and Government held on January 29th and 30th, 2007 in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia ), the African Union adopted  declaration 137 VIII  approving the Initiative " Green Great wall of Sahara ".
Several experts' meetings and ministerial conferences organized to the initiative of Senegal or CENSAD, allowed to fix the main GGW line of the institutional and executive framework of this Major Program. It is in particular about the elaboration of documents on the operational modalities for GGW implementation, under the political supervision of the UA and the CEN-SAD with support of Senegal, Coordinator of Environment component of the NEPAD.
The Donors roundtable organized during, ministerial conference held on February 2008 at Saly ( Senegal) on Great Green Walll and Water Retention ponds, and under the umbrella of African Union and CENSAD was an opportunity to share the GGW implementation strategy and approaches and to obtain the commitment of the Community of Donors to accompany the  project.