The Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP) held its second Regional Practitioners’ Workshop, 2-3 April 2014, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The workshop, titled “Pathways to Green Growth in Africa,” brought together over 120 participants from close to 30 countries with the aim to facilitate knowledge sharing amongst green growth practitioners in Africa.
Hosted by the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the workshop was funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and organized by the World Bank in collaboration with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The workshop benefited from additional funding from the LEDS Global Partnership (LEDS GP) and PROFOR (Program on Forests).
Participants at the workshop represented a total of 24 African countries, providing a unique opportunity to explore the importance of green growth for the continent. Over the course of two days, participants took part in a range of plenary, sectoral and technical sessions, where they shared their knowledge and regional experiences, discussed green growth opportunities and practical implementation challenges, and learnt about a variety of green growth tools.
Photos: Welcome remarks were delivered by H.E. Bavon N'sa Mputu Elima Minister of Environment, DRC; Dr. Wolfgang Manig, German Ambassador in DRC; Eustache Ouayoro, World Bank Country Director in DRC; Stephen King’Uyu, from the Kenya Climate Change Secretariat; and Benjamin Simmons, Head of the GGKP.
The workshop allowed for in-depth discussion on important challenges facing many African countries, including the high dependence on natural resources as an engine of growth and the rapid pace of infrastructure development. In particular, sessions were convened on: renewable energy, infrastructure and transport, and management of environmental impacts of growth in the region, and forest management in Congo Basin region. A session on day 2, dedicated to national experiences, saw two representatives from Kenya shared their experiences in implementing inclusive green growth at the national level and including issues pertaining to sustainable tourism. During breaks, participants were able to explore case studies and draw lessons learnt in the region through the workshop’s exhibition hall.
Participants were also exposed to a variety of implementation tools through longer technical sessions allowing them to build up their knowledge in the areas of climate resilience, fiscal reform, governance management, green investment and behavior change.
The entire workshop was moderated by Moustapha Kamal Gueye from the International Labor Organization (ILO) and Rene Ngongo from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF-DRC). More information on the workshop, including presentation and background materials can be found on the workshop webpage.
Immediately preceding the GGKP workshop, the Africa LEDS Partnership hosted a workshop with many participants also had the opportunity to attend. The Africa LEDS workshop brought together low emission development leaders from countries throughout Africa and from international programs to identify and plan priority activities for peer learning, in-depth training, technical collaboration, and coordination for low emission development activities in the region.
** More information on the GGKP's First Regional Practitioners', which was held in Bogor, Indonesia in June 2013, can be found here.