The local business community has been urged to embrace green growth and climate friendly strategies to ensure sustainable growth.

"We are currently developing appropriate skills, competencies and a framework that will strengthen the private sector and make it more productive and competitive to support the country’s green growth strategy,” said Vincent Biruta, the Minister for Natural Resources.

Biruta was addressing members of the private sector during a meeting on green growth economy in Kigali last week.

The private sector is the main driver of the second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction (EDPRS II) that is aimed at reducing household poverty to below 30 per cent and extreme poverty to about 9 per cent. This is expected to deliver Rwanda to a middle-class economy by 2018, with a GDP per capita income of $1,244, from $640 in 2012. Promotion of a green economy is part of this strategy to ensure sustainable use of natural resources to support the country’s development agenda.

"Government, therefore, wants to strengthen the synergies across the sector to ensure effective implementation of the EDPRS II priorities towards releasing the national vision of a green private sector led growth,” Biruta stressed.

Eng. Steven Niyonzima, the Rwanda Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production Centre national consultant, challenged the business community to adapt systems that are resource efficient and low on carbon to enhance environmentally-friendly production initiatives.

"The guiding principles should be to have well defined economic growth and poverty reduction strategies that will promote sustainability of the environment and natural resources,” said Niyonzima.

2015/16 priorities

Government plans to ensure energy security and promote low carbon energy production from renewable sources as part of green industry and services strategy. It also looks to support sustainable land use and water resource management to ensure food security.

Antoine Manzi, the director in charge of advocacy at the Private Sector Federation, said there is need to stimulate innovation and adapt green technologies that benefit the poor.

"Building a strong regulatory environment that also rewards green technology promoters and innovators will enable the country to pursue a more sustainable green growth strategy,” Manzi added.