ECA meeting focuses on sustainable industrialization in Africa

Environmentally-friendly industrialization is the topic of "Green Economy to Speed Up Industrialization in North Africa," an intergovernmental committee of experts (ICE) organized by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Tuesday.

This is the 31st gathering.

“Two things must be combined to achieve continued and inclusive development: infrastructure development and the deepening of the integration process," Arab Maghreb Union Secretary General Habib Ben Yahia said. "I believe that these two conditions will enable Africa, and the Maghreb, not only to emerge but also to reduce their dependency to traditional markets and the kind of goods they have been exporting until now.”

Nassim Oulmane, acting director of the ECA office in North Africa, said one of the main topics of conversation at the meeting would be how a green economy can make industrialization in African happen faster.

"Green economy is also about generating jobs, reducing poverty, social inequalities and improve the living conditions of populations," Oulmane said.

Committee members will also discuss national programs, training, employment, innovation, trade and public-private partnerships.

“Africa has the biggest reservoir of growth," Moroccan Minister of Environment and Special Climate Envoy for COP22 Hakima El Haité said. “We have an opportunity to choose a second, more appropriate development option. Industrialized countries have settled in their industry. Presently, the price of their adaptation and resilience is much higher than it would cost us to choose a low carbon development model. One cannot talk about low carbon development models without mentioning green growth.”

ECA’s sub-regional office assists sustainable development throughout the continent of Africa, including in Mauritania.