Experts from Central Africa have appealed to member states and the private sector to establish partnerships that are likely to mount special technologies for profitable green industrialisation.

Sixty experts from eight countries and several international organisations gathered at the 30th session of the Inter-Governmental Committee of Experts (ICE) for Central Africa to brainstorm opportunities and challenges of the green economy for industrialisation in the region. The event was co-organised by the Government of the Republic of Chad and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in the Chadian capital.

According to the experts, the green economy is a major opportunity because it fosters the adoption of healthy environmental practices that help to preserve and optimise natural capital, control global warming and improve the living conditions of the population. In an attempt to tap into this, they have appealed to the international community to support the efforts of Economic Community of Central African States and the member states for funding and technology transfer for green industrialisation.

In addition, they called for the establishment of public-private partnerships for sustainable funding of green investments in their countries, as well as called on Central African states to lay down an appropriate legal framework for economic transformation and greening of production methods. The experts further believe taxes should be introduced to discourage pollution-prone industrial techniques and encourage the adoption of clean production methods.

They pointed out that a fresh approach to dependable greening of industrialisation in Central Africa is necessary. However, this requires a fundamental rethink of cash-based economic approaches as well as the adoption of appropriate industrial policies for the processing and commercialisation of high value-added products.