African leaders across the continent are increasingly demonstrating commitment to promoting sustainable economic development, a new report has shown, reflecting shifting political will.

the Africa Green Growth Readiness Assessment Reportcompiled by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), sought to establish how nine strategic and operational aspects, including political commitment, in seven African countries promote green growth.

Green growth has been assessed by the AfDB and other donors as crucial to preventing the depletion of natural resources.

The results reveal that in each of the seven countries studied – Kenya, Rwanda, Morocco, Mozambique, Gabon, Senegal and Tunisia – there is significant political commitment, exemplified by the involvement of senior government officials, including including heads of state, in championing the green growth agenda.

Green growth is “the means to promote and maximize opportunities for sustainable economic development by building resilience and managing resources efficiently”.

Wide turnout

In Kenya, for example, President Uhuru Kenyatta chairs the National Council on Climate Change, which is responsible for the overall coordination of climate change-related affairs, including guiding the implementation of the national action plan on climate change.

The other countries have also “enshrined in their constitutions the fundamentals of green growth, in particular the right to a clean and safe environment and the right of citizens to consultation”, he specifies.

He warns, however, that despite this political commitment, “broader stakeholder buy-in and participation is needed to formulate and implement inclusive and locally relevant policies and solutions.”

The report also examined the impact of government institutions, political ecosystems, legal environments and regulations, financing and budgeting, research, human resources, and monitoring and reporting systems put in place on growth green.

It also punched holes in the readiness of countries in terms of “reassessing their budget structures given the paradigm shift needed for joint implementation at sector and subnational levels.”