Rwanda: Stakeholders optimistic with Green Climate Fund readiness project Results

BY ANGE DE LA VICTOIRE DUSABEMUNGU

Rwanda’s Green Growth Partners have convened a knowledge sharing session on Friday, April 29, 2022 to review the results of the Green Climate Fund readiness project, share lessons learned, challenges faced and how to move forwards with the country’s determinations for Green and resilient economy, TOP AFRICA NEWS reports.

The event which was organized by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)-Rwanda in partnership with the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) convened for the purpose of presenting the project update results for the GCF readiness project.

Delivering his open remarks, Okechukwu Daniel Ogbonnaya, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Country Representative for Rwanda thanked all the institutions, agencies and their subsidiaries who have been instrumental to implementing this Green Climate Fund, (GCF) readiness project, especially those who are the sub national level.

He explained that the project looked atactors not only at the national, but also the sub national level, adding that “it will be good for us to do a bit of a recap of whatthis is all about when we talk about the GCF readiness project.”

“If you have been able to look into what this is, the readiness project is to strengthen the country’s institutions and actors in order for them to prepare to deal with challenges, but also take the opportunities that relates to climate action or climate change and the goal is to have a transformational long term climate agenda, just like many countries have committed to transition to a green and climate resilient economy.” Mr. Okechukwu explained.

“And these projects, in my understanding and from the experience that we’ve had, has met most of the objectives of the readiness support, one of it being to enhance the capacity of national institutions to efficiently engage with GCF and Rwanda is one of great example of countries in the developing world that have successfully engaged with the GCF.” “We are proud to say that GGGI, as a delivery partner, has been instrumental to this success.” He added.   

Mr. Okechukwu revealed that the project has reached more than 800 local level beneficiaries and this spans across institutions in terms of capacity building, like training, in some cases, daily one on one at the sub national level, private sector, etc…

He said “When you look at the institutional capacity, four major workshops were implemented to establish the district level environmental protection committees. This is an important policy or framework or platform that the government has set up at the highest level, but it is to be instituted at the sub-national level.”

“We are happy to say that this committee’s has been operationalized through this project, by meeting and creating awareness in regards to what will be the roads, what will be their responsibilities, and the challenges they could meet as members of the Environmental Protection committees and there were five assessment reports which once the project is concluded, you will all have access to” he said

When you look at the private sector engaged, “we’ve been able to look at 75 staff within the district one stop centres and there has been a lot of awareness in terms of communication, using both the print and the TVs.” He revealed that there have been a lot of campaigns in the different, both global and regional events that have been happening, adding that 60 Plus journalists have been also trained on investigative reporting skills when it comes to green growth.

“So, it is our hope that the results have helped Rwanda not only to prepare to be ready to transition to a green or climate resilient economy, but also to set an example, as a country that could share its lessons to fellow peers within the region, but also globally.” Said Okechukwu.

Speaking on behalf of the Director General of the Rwanda Environment Management Authority, Ms. Rachel Tushabe, the Director for Environmental Education and Mainstreaming said that “REMA, as the national designated authority, is pleased to have partners on board who help us attain a climate resilient Rwanda.”

She added that “we are glad that partners like GGGI came on board, because the environment has been considered as a cross-cutting issue in national planning, as we move towards achieving the vision 2050.”

 Ms. Tushabe noted that as Rwanda moves towards achieving the National Strategy for transformation in Rwanda, it is aiming at having more partners on board, including private sector, including local NGOs, without leaving behind media, because they are the channel through which education, entertainment and advocacy for Environment and Climate change are channelled.

“We are pleased to say that the training that has been carried out, REMA has been a partner to ensure that, for instance, environmental committees at different levels, districts, and sectors are trained.” Ms. Tushabe said.

“These committees have members of different sectors of the economy through which we believe when they are trained, at least planning from the grassroot level, up to the national level can be attained and implementation of what has been planned for the environment that climate change is attained.” She explains.

Ms. Tushabe concluded her remarks affirming that “We can’t do this without the help of the private sector”

Speaking online from the Secretariat of Green Climate Fund Mr. Bongo Josue reminded that the GCF is a country driven fund adding that GCF’s objective is to support the country, particularly through the readiness programme.

The GCF does that so that countries can build the capacity of the local stakeholders, including the private sector, develop the national frameworks and the policies that are required to implement a climate change project, but also implement the adaptation plan.

“The readiness programme is also designed to support the country to build a pipeline of projects that they can submit to big CF and have funding to implement the National Climate plans priorities and the last objective of the readiness programme is exactly what you’re doing here today, which is to share knowledge.” He said.

“And this is particularly important, not only for Rwanda, but also for us at the GCF because it is an opportunity for us to learn, and also understand what are the best practices? What are the lessons that have been learned throughout the implementation of the project, and how we can better design and adapt the readiness programme to better serve you.” Mr. Banga added.

During his presentation, the green urbanisation officer at GGGI Rwanda Mr. Munyeshyaka Jean Pierre explained that the government of Rwanda, starting in 2013, the country is strategically orienting its development through green urbanisation.

Mr. Munyeshyaka said that “urbanisation is a strategic orientation for Rwanda”, however, he adds, “this also has to be done wisely taking into consideration the negative side you may have if you don’t plan.”

“We need to be strategically planning the major Green city infrastructure network: these are roads drainage, but also allocating land for residential, for commercial, industrial, that are integrated so that people movement and goods movement can benefit either other alternative way of moving immobility, non-motorised transportation, but also trying to make people benefit.” Munyeshyaka said