COP28 ; Inside President William Ruto's Green Growth Agenda for Climate Security

Dubai, 

Saturday, 1 December, 2023. 

McCreadie Andias 

President William Ruto has launched the Africa Green Industrialisation plan which is expected to scale up green industries across the continent promoting economic Green growth. 

While adressing the initiative's launch during the sidelines of the ongoing COP28 conference in Dubai on Saturday, President William Ruto said that the initiative will also promote climate mitigation and adaptation.

“It marks a huge stride towards the realisation of the Nairobi Declaration,” said President William Ruto.

He noted that the landmark step will further activate private sector-led scaling-up of green industrial clusters in the region.

The Africa Green Industrialisation Initiative builds upon the success of the UAE’s existing USD 4.5 billion Africa Green Investment Initiative.

It aims to finance 15GW of renewable energy in Africa by the end of the decade, which will unlock investments in Africa’s green industrialisation.

President Macky Sall of Senegal termed the initiative as a "green pathway" for the continent. 

“We are forging a green pathway for Africa. We have set in motion a virtuous cycle, fostering sustainable economic growth,“ said President Sall.

The initiative gears on utilizing Africa's vast green resources to foster green industrialisation which is critical in attainment of global climate ambition. 

COP28 President Dr Sultan Al Jaber lauded it as an opportunity to elevate the ambition of the COP28 Presidency’s Clean Energy programme launched in September during the Africa Climate Summit.

“The UAE not only wants to support countries’ green industrialisation, we want countries to have access to more economic opportunities.”

He noted that Africa’s biggest challenge is not in the scarcity of resources but in the scarcity of action.

Leaders present included President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan, more than 10 Heads of State from Africa and the UN Climate Change High Level Champion for Egypt Mahmoud Mohieldin.