The Capacity Building training for government officials from East Africa is a pilot program on Inclusive Green Economy implemented by the University of Gothenburg and Gothenburg Center for Environment and Sustainability (GMV) at Chalmers University of Technology through a funding from the Swedish Institute (SI). GGGI Rwanda will be the national implementation partner that will provide both technical and administrative support to deliver the program. 

The program will educate officials (primarily economists) in government institutions such as ministry of finance, tax agencies, environmental and energy ministries, agricultural and natural resource authorities and other central government agencies for IGE. The program is an advanced training with direct applicability for the participants daily work. It includes some theoretical training within IGE, practical exercises, study visits, project development and support for implementing own change work. The focus is on the use of economic instruments such as environmental taxes, pollution fees, subsidies or subsidy reduction, trading systems and other types of financial incentives for societal development in line with Agenda 2030. The programme strives to achieve an active and strong link to the participants’ professional area but also to strengthen the professional exchange between participants, enriching the programme through their different professional and geographical backgrounds. It has a regional focus, aiming to strengthen professional networks both within and between the represented countries.  

The goal of the program is to strengthen national capacity to create an Inclusive Green Economy (IGE), which is one of the prerequisites for achieving Agenda 2030. The program covers all the themes of Agenda 2030, with focus on Goal 8: Decent working conditions and economic growth. The objectives of the project are i.) To strengthen low-income countries’ capacity for transformation to an inclusive green economy through increased knowledge and application of economic policy instruments, organizational change, and the building of national systems and transparent institutions ii.) To allow participants to get greater understanding, knowledge and ability to critically review and analyze current economic policies and conditions and identify opportunities for a transitioning towards a green economy. This will strengthen their role as change agents within their organization. 

Project Objectives

At the end of the program, the participants will get greater understanding, knowledge and ability to critically review and analyze current economic policies and conditions and identify opportunities for a transitioning towards a green economy. This will strengthen their role as change agents within their organiza

Participants will specifically leave the training with these expected results:

·       Acquire or strengthen their ability and interest to drive development work within the IEG area and real application of economic instruments in policies, plans and/or programs;

·       Take back to their ministries or relevant sectoral agencies, a clear role in developing IGE policy, plans or programs, as strategic planners or decision makers, with the skills sets to carry out an evidence based decision-making process/role in their organization;

·       Become a champion with a mandate that provides the opportunity to drive change in their work;

·       Be provided with a certificate of participation at the end of the training;

Impact: Government Officials in East Africa gain the knowledge to mainstream inclusive green economy principles into policy making. 

Outcome:  

• 15 Officials from Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda trained on economic instruments, organizational change, and institution building using inclusive green economy. 

Project Outputs completed in 2019: 

i. Green Growth Policies:N/A

ii. Green Investments:N/A

iii. Capacity Building and Knowledge Products: 

Since the project started in July 2019, we expected more outputs in 2020. 

• Two weeks training completed in September 2019 with participants submitting their final projects in January 2020 
• Knowledge and lesson learning product completed  
• Audit report completed 
• Project closure phase in progress.  

Project Manager:  Okechukwu Daniel Ogbonnaya 

Number of staff provided: Franco Kamanzi, Inhee Chung, Innocent Kabenga, Vanessa Umurakeye. Pamela Birungi