Rwanda banned the use of polythene bags, and it’s now a leading role model of environmental management in the region

African Finance and Environment Ministers are meeting today at the Serena Kigali Hotel for the 3rd Pan-African conference to discuss climate change and challenges.

The conference under the theme ‘Climate Change; Financing opportunities and challenges to achieve the Millennium Development Goals’ will be held at the Kigali Serena Hotel from the 21st to 22nd of May 2009.

This was revealed by James Musoni, the Finance and Economic Planning Minister on Monday.

The conference will focus on the identification of additional investments and financial flows to address the climate change, mitigation and adaptation challenges. It will also assess the same impact on economic growth and progress of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The meeting is expected to gather 117 participants including 17 African Ministers and 100 government officials and policy makers.

"Action on climate change can no longer remain the sole business of scientists, environmentalists and researchers,” a statement reads in part.

”Rwanda was chosen to host the 3rd meeting after Ghana and Singapore because it has been recognised for her efforts in promotion of the environment.

Rwanda government has set aside Rwf14 billion specifically for environmental protection, especially for creating awareness, institutional capacity building, irrigation and soil conservation.

It’s said that climate change mitigation in Africa requires $1.2 billion and in 2030 it will be about $10 billion. There has been a change in climate, even in the world’s developed economies and yet developing countries like Rwanda feel its impacts.

Developed economies are blamed over strong criteria to accesses the carbon credits because only 2 percent has been disbursed to two African countries, South Africa and Egypt.

"We are not asking for charity in the form of more aid-financed projects, we are asking for international community to develop their mechanisms that allow us to finance win-win measures across Africa’s economies now” a press statement states.

Rwanda is ready to share its experience with other African countries on how to promote clean and a green environment.

Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) is a national institution responsible for implementing government environmental policy.

Rwanda banned the use of polythene bags, and it’s now a leading role model of environmental management in the region.

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