High-level Technical Consultation Meeting for the Africa Environment Outlook (AEO) for Business, and Atlas of Africa’s Natural Capital
The Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE), in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Office for Africa, and the African Development Bank (AfDB) are organizing a high-level technical consultation meeting for the Africa Environment Outlook (AEO) for Business, and Atlas of Africa’s Natural Capital, to be held on 22-24 May 2023, in Cairo, Egypt.
Funded by the European Union and UNEP, the objective of the first ever AEO-for-Business is to identify and document options for stimulating the linkages between business and environmental sustainability in Africa, while augmenting their respective benefits to people, nature, economies, and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Its preparation adopts an integrated approach with well-illustrated interlinkages between environment and opportunities for green business as the underlying theme.
The Atlas of Africa’s Natural Capital is being prepared in response to the request by African governments through the 17th Regular Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN). It seeks to strengthen the availability of data on Africa’s natural capital endowment and related key issues to support national and regional planning and decision making, including strategic investments. It is also set to convey natural resources as well as environmental and socio-economic data in a cartographic format, supported by change detection through satellite imaging.
The production of both reports entails multiple stages that include consultative involvement of key regional partners and stakeholders, given the participatory approach that is at the core of their respective production processes.
The meetings are attended by high-level experts representing intergovernmental international and regional organizations, governments, and academic and research institutions; as well as select natural resources experts from over 30 African countries, with extensive experience and technical expertise in environmental assessments, geospatial analysis, and policy integration in the realm of natural resources. It will be facilitated by the UNEP Regional Office for Africa, CEDARE, the EPI, and AfDB.
The opening of the meeting featured high level remarks from H.E. Dr Nadia Makram Ebeid, Executive Director, CEDARE; Dr. Frank Turyatunga, Advisor to the Regional Director, Regional Office for Africa, UNEP; Ms Leontine Kanziemo, natural resources advisor, African Development Bank (AfDB); and Dr Ali Abu Sena, CEO, Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA).
