African leaders unite for sustainable development at UNGA 2024

African leaders, including Kenyan President William Ruto and U.K. Foreign Minister David Lammy, at the AGII Steering Committee meeting, discussed strategies for advancing green industrialization.

The meeting underscored Africa's potential to meet global climate goals through sustainable resource management and collaborative efforts among member states.

Ghana's Deputy Finance Minister Dr. Alex Amparbeng who represented the Finance Minister, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, at the inaugural Steering Committee (SteerCo) meeting of the Africa Green Industrialisation Initiative (AGII), hosted by David Mazaheri, Managing Partner of White Hilt Capital, held on the margins of the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York at the University Club of Manhattan, stated that “The AGII is a great step, and Ghana fully supports this vision. It's a platform for accelerated investment and opportunity for growth in the African green economies. This will undoubtedly increase the opportunities for decent and greener jobs for our citizens.”

He mentioned that, “Two key areas of focus should be the harmonization of our fiscal policies to avoid unfair competition among ourselves as we attract investments across our countries. Failure to do so could undermine our collective efforts and delay our progress toward achieving set goals. Additionally, we must strategically leverage our role in the global critical minerals sector to support this industrialization drive.”

He however pointed out the pressing question leaders must be asking themselves, which is: 'How do we ensure that the critical minerals we control effectively fuel our green growth agenda?'

The Deputy Minister averred that a crucial part of addressing this question lies in ensuring that value addition to our critical minerals is central to any policy framework they develop.

Participants at the meeting also reviewed the proposed structure and institutional setup of the AGII, focusing on strategies to position Africa at the forefront of green industrialization, whilst the Steering Committee discussed preparations for upcoming regional and global engagements, particularly with an eye toward the upcoming COP29 and recommendations of SteerCo to the African Union body for steps toward an African single market in the upcoming African Union Commission meeting in February of 2025.

At the meeting, Kenyan President William Ruto, the U.K. Foreign Minister David Lammy, and African leaders and stakeholders discussed the AGII's focus on advancing research-driven green growth, fostering collaboration on industrial clusters, and promoting knowledge sharing among nations.

Their discussions also highlighted Africa's potential to contribute to global climate goals by leveraging its abundant natural resources for sustainable development.

The meeting concluded with a consensus on the need for enhanced coordination and collaboration among African countries to accelerate green industrialization efforts and to ensure that Africa remains a crucial player in the global transition toward a sustainable future.

The 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is taking place at the UN Headquarters in New York from 22 to 27 September 2024 under the theme “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations.