Rwanda will later this month host the first ever Africa Green Growth Forum bringing together over 1,000 delegates from across the continent to share experiences in green growth and climate resilient development. Participants will include investors, policymakers and financial experts among others, according to organisers. The week-long forum takes place from November 26 to November 30 at the Kigali Convention Centre and other sites. Themed “For A Green and Climate Resilient Africa”, the forum is to shine a light on the importance of sustainable economic transformation and signal green growth as a priority for Africa, according to organisers. The forum will encourage private sector investment in green growth and improve the understanding and use of finance as a tool for climate resilience. It also seeks to build partnerships between stakeholders working in Africa’s green growth sector and provide a platform for partners to engage and build relationships that accelerate the green growth agenda. Commenting on the upcoming event, the Minister for Environment, Dr Vincent Biruta, said that leaders from across the continent would use the opportunity to advance the green growth agenda. “To achieve the goals Africa has set for itself, our development must be clean, green and climate resilient. This requires us to share knowledge, experience and bring policymakers and investors together to turn ideas into reality. Our message is simple: Africa is open for green business,” Biruta said. Participants will examine the opportunities that come with green growth as well as some of the challenges impeding this effort across the continent, according to a statement. The statement says that the forum would also cover the breadth and depth of these topics through high-level sessions on policy and strategy, technical discussions on climate finance and sustainable infrastructure, green technologies, an exhibition and field visits to local green growth initiatives. It would also be time for policy makers from across the continent to share their experience in fostering green growth and for participants to discover new concepts like the Circular Economy, which will be essential for the continent’s shared prosperity, it added A highlight of the week will be the Africa Green Growth Investment Forum, a one-day event bringing together government leaders and investors to explore the opportunities for green growth across the continent and chart a course for harnessing them. Several players who are working hard to ensure green growth namely industry, media, youth and local government will be awarded by Rwanda Green Growth. The Africa Green Growth Forum is organised by a range of partners, including the Government of Rwanda, through the Ministry of Environment and its agencies, the Global Green Growth Institute, the United Nations Development Programme, and One UN Rwanda, among others. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
