News

2nd Workshop on the engaging the private sector in building flood resilience capacities under the GCF NAP

26th November , Kamonyi district ,Southern Province, in Rwanda.  The Global Green Growth Institute and Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) co-organised the second GCF NAP workshop on engaging the private sector in building flood resilience capacities held in Kamonyi with stakeholders from the Kamonyi District office, Executive of Kamonyi , Rwanda Environment Management (REMA) ,Rwanda Development Board (RDB) ,Sector Representatives and Cell Representatives ,Horeco , Bishenyi Market representatives.

The GCF National Adaptation Plan (NAP) aims to build flood resilience capacities in Rwanda in line with governmental policies , strategies and priorities’ and ultimately enhance Rwanda’s capacity to respond to climate change in high risk zones by implementing a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) for integrated flood and landslide management in urban areas.

The workshop was organized to initiate a discussion on project pipelines under the GCF NAP with a fundamental component of engaging the private sector by exploring their role in building flood resilience and capacities. The workshop aims to achieve Sub-outcome 2.3 on developing concept notes and financing strategies for local climate action in prevention of flood and landslides. The key objectives of the workshop was to:

  • Conduct a collaborative review of the GCF criteria and the concept notes ;
  • Introduce the private sector engagement approach ;
  • elaborate how the private sector can be engaged in the Mpazi and Magerwa-Rwandex sites in City of Kigali and
  • site exploration for potential opportunities and challenges

Mr Muvunyi Etienne ,Advisor of Executive Committee in Kamonyi welcomed all participants on behalf the District Mayor & applauded REMA & GGGI for this initiave. He said the district officials and community members were glad that Bishenyi is among the 5 selected sites and they look forward to identifying sustainable solutions that will support the different stakeholders and community members represented in the meeting.

Ms Dalie Dukuze , a Green Economy Specialist at REMA and Liliane Mupende, the GGGI Rwanda GCF NAP Project Co-ordinator encouraged all the participants to give their input in the discussion as the purpose for the meeting would be for NAP team to hear from the citizens & gather information that will help the design better solutions.

GCF NAP Green City Dev’t Expert at GGGI Rwanda introduced the GCF NAP project in context to Bishenyi Sub Catchment. He requested the participants that during the meeting discussion each representative can elaborate on their  experiences, challenges so that it can be a fruitful discussion for both the government and private sector, and community members present in the meeting.

Mr Mads Knudsen the GCF NAP Private Sector Engagement Expert-GGGI Rwanda ,began with an introduction to the Investment GCF criteria ; the approach to engaging the private sector ; followed by a group discussion on opportunities & challenges in engaging the private sector & identifying solutions.

He explained how this project will be serve as  pilot project that can also be used to reference lessons learnt and then clarified why it is necessary to engage the private sector specifically for this process stating that:

It has a flexible programme design: with opportunities for synergies and linkages between modalities and mechanisms that support inclusive multi-stakeholder partnerships to address the complex challenge of integrated flood management in an urban setting.

It allows you to tap into private sector capacity:by having access to private sector expertise, knowledge and information sharing, and co-financing

It will enhance private sector capacity: harness the green production expertise of private sector partners as well as incentivizing responsible business conduct.

Sustainability: ownership at national and local level and enhanced public-private dialogue on the green growth topics.

Gap assessment: avoid overlaps and harness other initiatives aimed at urban flood management, development of the 5 sites, and private sector mechanisms in general.

Furthermore he said that Public Private Partnerships can be of help for several reasons such as flood insurance; the payment for environmental services ; better flood assessment and wanning systems ; ecosystems planning/zoning ;provide technical solutions/business models for infrastructure and drainage ;apply innovate technologies and business models to address problems

 

Members from Runda Sector said that they several issues they have to deal with in terms of infrastructure development ; construction (houses with small water tanks) and river  protection mechanism. Concerns from members of Bishenyi Market were raised from flooding that destroys their crops and wetlands to being excluded in discussions with business and government that affect the vulnerable in their communities. It was also mentioned that their cooperative members struggle to understand the specific role of the banks as their financial support structure  and the matter of water treatments that are necessary in their area due to the dirty runoff from untreated waste. They raised several issues caused by flooding in Bishenyi that have taken many lives, caused accidents with motodrivers , destroyed their crops and homes.

The Advisor of Exec Committee Kamonyi Mr Muvunyi Etienne gave his closing remarks, thanking the co-organisers REMA & GGGI Rwanda and said he is grateful for the fruitful discussion with the stakeholders as he believes such exercises will yield better solutions for the community.

After the workshop the participants were given the opportunity to visit the site Bishenyi Sub Catchment.