East African Countries team up to embrace the green economy for regional development

More and more African countries are entering the ranks of the world’s fastest growing economies.

Even so, a large number of people continue to live below the poverty line in these countries. It is vital, therefore to ask how to turn the economic growth into an effective and competitive driver, not only of poverty reduction for as many people as possible, but also for the environmental sustainability of the economic growth.

A number of African countries have recognized the potential of a green economy and have started to change course strategically which must be made applicable.

This is the thinking of experts from universities across East Africa were selected individuals are being trained to embrace actions that will lead to implementation of green economy in the East African countries.

Background

This is a Swedish funded project implemented through Gothernburg Centre for Sustainable Development (EfD) which is targeting the Sustainable Development Goal number 8 which talks about Promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all.

During a two day joint cross country peer learning meeting held in Kampala, selected fellows from various government departments in East Africa were engage in both online and face to face sensitization activities geared towards promoting economic green economy in all sectors across the East African countries.

The objective of the training is to build a regional Inclusive Green Economy (IGE) network between civil servants and the academia with focus on IGE strategies and policy instruments in order to achieve green and inclusive transformation.

The project is to be carried out in five countries, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

In recent years, these countries have committed themselves to the inclusion of green economic strategies in their national planning and strategies however, they all lack the necessary capacities at local and regional levels to achieve such plans.

This project will introduce a number of planning tools to support implementation of the green economic measures included in the local development plans.

It targets planning units in national ministries, regional and local administrations, private enterprises and civil society groups.

The intended beneficiaries are small-scale entrepreneurs and the self-employed, who will improve their own incomes while also creating new jobs.

Measures should include women and young people in particular at the same time, the training and promotion activities should also benefit the employees of the partner institutions engaged in development measures.

Use of sustainable natural resources

Addressing the fellows, the Chancellor of Makerere University Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe noted that his institution intends to conduct massive research in the area of climate change whose effects has affected the entire globe in a bid to address and provide solutions in achieving a green economy.

“Uganda and the African continent population is expected to double by 2050 and there is need to curb challenges of environmental degradation. With funding from the Swedish government, we have managed to train over 400 PHD graduates over the last 20 years most of whom completed their courses in the area of environmental management.  If the government can tap into the knowledge of these graduates, then issues of climate change challenges should not be a problem,” he noted.

He urged the African continent to develop in a sustainable manner where human activities must not affect the environment.

To him there is no need to make mistakes like the developed countries who are spending huge amounts of money to correct effects of climate change.

He pointed out areas to address in sustainable management which include use of clean energy and better usage of cooking equipment’s to avoid damaging the environment as well as sustainable usage of forests, tree planting and discouragement of deforestation.

He said people must stop destroying wetlands and forests but embark on growing trees which may act as source for charcoal processing which can be used by people who may not afford to pay for electricity.

The process of the fellowship

The project coordinator Dr Peter Babyenda highlighting the project activities explained that packages of measures conducted entail the following separate activities; selection of pilot areas  of the stakeholders, training measures to build the capacities of institutions and completion of baseline study in each pilot area, with relevant ‘green economy indicators that reflect the economic and social development

Others are consultations with public and private-sector actors, with civil society representatives and with various interest groups.

Identification of private-sector partners at national and regional levels, who provide sustainable business concepts that fit the needs of the pilot regions.

In the case of Uganda there are five fellows drawn from Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Water and Environment and National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) among others.

The training areas include sustainable agricultural practice, forestry management, Sustainable energy production and urbanization.

Uganda’s major training focus is as the country’s economy keeps growing depletion of the environment and natural resources must be avoided in order to achieve growth of a green economy.

Other areas of interest are having clean cities and this calls for organized cabbage management by city Authorities.