The Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations (Addis Chamber) is striving to promote green growth and sustainable investment to be exercised among its members and business communities in general.
Now the Chamber secured a grant fund from GIZ has officially launched a Green Growth Initiative for Sustainable Business Growth (GGI-SBG) Project that will run for one year.
The launching workshop was attended by key stakeholders drawn from government offices, non-governmental organizations, manufacturers, green businesses, development partners and green businesses.
Mr. Ismail Ahmed representative from Ministry of Industry, in his opening remark said that such kinds of projects are instrumental to support the green growth development path pursued by the Ethiopian government.
In her keynote address to the program, Anna Waldamann, from GIZ –PSD-E, said that partnership and cooperation are the only way out to promote green growth among businesses and the green growth center at Addis Chamber will be effective if it delivers meaningful and fruitful services that are linked with sustainable business practices.
In his welcoming address to the launching workshop, Meseret Molla (PhD) Secretary General of Addis Chamber said that Addis Chamber is proud to inaugurate the green growth center designed to equip our business members to use resources efficiently, to align with international sustainability standards and to promote green investments among others.
Subsequent to keynote address and opening remarks, a glimpse of a new project was presented by Ashenafi Gebru, Project manager for (GGI-SBG) Project that is supported by GIZ- PSD-E.
The launching event was also accompanied by panel discussion that brought the immense experiences of local and global businesses and development organizations.
Hosted by Anna,Waldamann, giant firms such as Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Ethiopian Airlines, BGI Ethiopia, Derba Cement, Ministry of Industry briefs on their respective experiences towards green growth and sustainable development, challenges and opportunities.
Some of the discussion issues include the endeavor of the Ethiopian government to put in place green growth initiatives, the commitment of private sector to operate under sustainability manner such as the experiences of Ethiopian Airlines, BGI Ethiopia, MIDROC Cement and others.
While reflecting his experience to the panel, Mr Steven Donadson from Global Green Growth Institute said that agriculture in Ethiopia is the biggest emitter and as country dominated by youth, Ethiopia need to gear the shift towards promoting entrepreneurial private sector such as introducing green technology and green jobs as a way out.
In his concluding remark, Meseret Molla( PhD) Secretary General from Addis Chamber calls for businesses to go green as there is no alternative other than pursuing sustainable business practices and meanwhile reaffirmed the commitment of his Chamber to advocate on policy issues to address green growth and circular economy.
